No Love Lost
by AKAJipster
Summary: Now Complete! 3rd story in the Easy Target Universe. You can choose your friends, or you can make them, but losing them is far too easy.
1. Chapter 1

Part 1

Beka left the bar clutching her reward, knowing she had to leave before her emotions betrayed her. Ignoring everything around her she returned to the Maru, and found her bunk where she collapsed and stared numbly above.

'I'm going back to Harper'

Beka calmly replayed the exchange in her head, unable to understand her own conflicting emotions that she felt. For six months she had believed Harper was dead, and had mourned him like the good friend he was. She still remembered vividly seeing the Arkology break apart before exploding, and Beka never forgot that cold numbness inside as she realised that Harper, Rommie and Rhade had been on board. That was just before she nearly passed out from feeling her body being pulled apart, and the beginning of her hell.

Beka tried to keep her breathing calm, not only had she discovered that Rhade was in fact alive, and predictably Dylan was too, now she had seen Harper living and breathing, and with that her thoughts suddenly tortured her as she remembered seeing Rommie, and her head in a cupboard.

"Argh!" Beka sat up with sudden frustration, as she brought her knees up close for comfort, and held her head in her hands.

'I'm going back to Harper'

Beka took a deep breath and ran her hands through her hair. Who did that blond bimbo thing think she was? How did Harper get a girl like that, and why would a girl like that want anything to do with him?

Beka stopped herself, and mentally calmed down. Unable to shake what she had seen of her friend, Rommie, Beka couldn't help feeling anger towards Harper, and that woman he was hanging around with.

"I'm going back to Harper," Beka mocked her now, as she got to her feet and walked through to the serving area, stopping at the counter she rested her hands on the surface, taking a deep breath, knowing this ship would always remind her of Harper. "What the hell has this place done to you Seamus?" she then asked herself. "And why am I finding it hard to care?" she considered with a frown.

After a moments thought Beka walked slowly through to the top of the ship, and sat down in the pilot's chair, always a good place to think. She should be happy, Beka considered, after loosing Harper she has got him back but it wasn't joy she was feeling. With sadness, Beka considered her own state of mind, after nearly dying on this ship, her home, with no one to help her, starving and going insane, Beka knew she had changed. It wasn't her fault; she had changed because she had learnt that even when you think you have friends around you, you can still be left to suffer alone, and no one will come to your rescue.

With a cold stare looking at nothing in particular, Beka heard her own thoughts and shuddered. How many times had she called out for Dylan, Rhade, and for Harper to find her? Finding out that Dylan had suffered no passage of time alone, had suffered little and that both Rhade and Harper had more than found enough things to pass the time, Beka felt nothing but anger that she had nearly died whilst they happily spent their time hooking up with girls and reverting to mindless acts of crime and drink to get by, making no effort to find her or even attempt to escape. Beka lashed out at the console on her right, needing to release her anger, before she huddled up and finally let the tears flow.

* * *

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah."

"Did Dylan talk to you?"

"Yeah."

Doyle looked at her friend, and seeing he was down she moved closer. "Harper, tell me why your friends hate you."

"Gee, that'll cheer me up, thanks," Harper snapped and moved away, carrying a heavy piece of equipment as he walked. "And they were friends, three years ago to be precise and a lot has happened," he continued to talk as he put the machinery down on the floor.

Harper stopped and sighed, turning back to Doyle. "You know what really bites?" he asked and didn't wait for Doyle to offer an answer. "They didn't care, I've been here three fricking years and they didn't even notice, all they wanted was to judge me and they didn't even ask why I do the things I do!"

"They know about Marika," Doyle stated.

Harper looked at Doyle. "Yeah, so what do they do?" Harper questioned. "Do they realise I'm her prisoner, maybe, do they try and help me, no," Harper snapped. "All they do is ask why I haven't escaped," there was an ironic laugh. "Gee, I don't know, why didn't I think of that, and why haven't I Doyle?" he asked with sarcasm.

"Because this is a world that bans tech, and you can't escape," Doyle answered calmly.

"They just don't get it, or care," Harper repeated with anger. "What were they expecting? That being on a world that bans my first and true love would make me the happy little elf?" he mocked with a sneer.

"Harper, they are gone now, we need to focus," Doyle reminded him.

"Gone?" Harper questioned. "They haven't gone, Doyle, far from it. They'll stick around now, you'll see, tormenting me with their freedom, judging me like I'm some low life scum who should feel honoured they haven't just killed me for still being alive," he seethed. "You know maybe that's how they always saw me, they humoured me and now I've had to actually do whatever I can to survive again, it goes against their damn self righteousness to help me out," he stressed, clearly upset. "And now they know were to find me you can bet they'll keep coming back, probably to judge me some more because I'm such an easy target."

"You mentioned they had a ship, could you escape to this?" Doyle asked with consideration.

Harper took a deep breath. "Right this minute, I want nothing to do with them and for the record, they have two ships, two ships I could just as easily sabotage given the chance and they should remember this," he continued to rage.

"I thought Dylan had spoken to you?" Doyle remained calm; in the hope her presence would have the same effect on her friend.

"They only care about Rommie," Harper said sadly as he tensed, and avoided Doyle's stare now. "I don't blame them but they have no idea, and I'm not going to tell them the truth, they're not my friends anymore."

Doyle watched sadly as Harper stalked off sensing that his emotions had nearly threatened, but she knew he was now going to see Marika. She hated seeing him like this, and at that monsters beck and call. He had worked so hard over the past couple of years to try and find an escape for them both. Harper didn't deserve this life, and she couldn't help but feel that his old friends were the very people he needed to help him. Doyle considered her next move, knowing she could risk Harper's friendship if she didn't plan this right.

* * *

Beka found herself walking down the strange unfamiliar street, taking in all the sights and sounds she had previously missed when she had last been on Seefra One. There was no show of wealth here, everybody struggled and she could begin to understand why Harper had been able to adapt so well to this environment, it reminded her in lots of ways of Earth. Seeing the Oasis bar ahead, Beka approached, not knowing what she was hoping to find but she needed some contact, somebody to talk to and this was so far the only meeting point they had used.

Walking inside she approached the bar spotting Rhade, and she dismissed the bartender as she got Rhade's attention.

"Hey," Beka simply said.

"Hey," Rhade returned, focused on his drink and without looking up.

"What's up?"

"Same old," Rhade finally looked up. "Nothing going on but the beer being served."

Beka looked at Rhade for a moment. "I never had you pegged as a drinker."

"I never was, but nine months in this hell does this to a person," He answered picking up his drink and finishing the glass.

"Can I get you another?" the bar keeper was immediately alert.

"No," Rhade slowly got to his feet. "Hate to leave when you've only just got here," he turned to Beka. "But I have a meeting with a guy who owes me the money to buy my next beer."

"Rhade, let me buy you a drink," Beka offered.

"No, this guy flies into port in the next ten minutes his only visit of the week to this planet, he's not avoiding me again," Rhade stated with a slight slur. "You're welcome to join me."

Beka frowned, noting Rhade's disposition. "I'll pass, maybe see you around some other time?" she stated, before Rhade turned and left the bar seeking his money.

"Hey, thanks for bringing me back my painting."

Beka glanced over to the bar keeper, and then to the painting, now back in place and she frowned. "Spare me the details about its sentimental value," she remarked before ordering a drink.

The barkeeper, sensing her mood did as she ordered, before looking up at one of his female staff. "Hey, Nat, you heard from Harper?"

"Not since he was last at the stores," Nat returned, clearing the tables of empty glasses.

"Damn," the barkeep brought the drink to Beka, but was still distracted by his discussion with his bar staff, as he took Beka's money. "Do you think we'll see him around anytime today? I was hoping he'd cover for me."

"Sembler," Nat spoke sadly. "He'd of been seen already if he were going to be around today, I bet that bitch has her claws in him again," Nat returned. "Sembler, when are you going to help him?"

"The minute he's free of that bitch you mentioned, the big scary one," Sembler offered with an air of nervousness. "I'm not getting involved whilst he's still her property."

"Excuse me," Beka had to speak up at that point. "What are you guys talking about?"

"Just a guy," Sembler answered casually.

"Harper," Beka returned.

"You don't work for the bitch too, do you?" Nat asked, with caution as she approached.

"Doyle?"

Beka was met with only laughs at her comment, before Sembler then moved closer to Beka and leant on the counter. "You're not from round here, and you are better off not knowing what goes down around here, ok?"

"Harper is my friend," Beka spoke, and then caught her self when she saw their frowns. "Was my friend, we were friends long ago."

"Don't tell me you're one of those mythical friends he used to bleat on about, great soldiers who'd come and rescue him one day in this great star ship of the galaxy?" Sembler mocked. "Man, that kid can dream some great dreams, you got to give him that," he then smiled fondly, but Beka saw the unexplained sadness behind it.

"He stole your painting," Beka then stated, needing to see their reactions and knowing she had to tell them the truth, as it didn't feel right to hear and see these displays of affection towards Harper, not after she had found out the truth for herself. "He's no one's prisoner; he's just a petty thief going round killing and tormenting people."

The whole bar went silent, and Nat walked up to Beka and looked her straight in the eye. "You sure you don't work for that bitch, Marika? You sure sound like you do," she remarked in a low accusing tone.

Beka suddenly felt threatened with all eyes on her, and she looked away. Sembler moved even closer. "You're no friend of Harper, and I want you to finish that drink and then get the hell out of here."

"What?" Beka questioned.

"You heard me," Sembler simply said before moving away.

Unsure, Beka began to gulp the drink down. Her gut felt twisted and she still didn't quite understand what she was hearing. Harper had stolen that painting, people had died and it had been in his area of that underground cave system they had found him in. Harper had even been the one to return it to Rhade, but these people didn't seem to care about facts, it was as if they worshiped him and Beka began to feel like she was missing some vital facts, and that she had really misjudged this.

"Doyle!"

Beka looked up as Sembler greeted a name that she recognised. Turning, Beka saw the blonde female walking towards the bar, no longer wearing the garish pink outfit, but a more tasteful brown.

"Sembler," Doyle acknowledged, and then glanced at Beka. "Hi," she simply said and Beka could only nod her head.

"Where's Harper?" Sembler immediately asked.

"It's been nearly fourteen hours, I'm really worried," Doyle admitted. "Marika must have asked him to go and see her, but he's not come back. Gogol is dead," Doyle then added.

"Oh no, poor Gogol," Sembler seemed upset by the news. "I always thought Harper was playing a risky game trying to defeat that bitch."

"He had no choice," Doyle returned, as Nat joined them. "I just wanted to let you know to not expect him around town for a few days, maybe never again, I just fear the worst this time."

"Hey, Doyle, you're his rock don't lose faith, he'll survive he always does, and he has to," Sembler insisted. "He's part of my plan!"

"I best get back to pick up the pieces again, I want to be there when and if he returns," Doyle frowned. "I don't even know if he knows about Gogol yet," she shook her head, and both Sembler and Nat offered her brief comfort by touch and hug.

Beka quickly finished her drink and left the bar, with thoughts conflicting inside of her. Once outside she took a deep breath, and then tried to compose her thoughts. Harper was a friend, she reminded herself but she still couldn't get past what she had seen of Rommie. She closed her eyes, needing to try and accept that she may have misread the situation but it made no sense. She then felt someone stood nearby.

"They told me that you think Harper is nothing more than a petty criminal and murderer, that he is no prisoner," Doyle stated when Beka opened her eyes. "Strange then that Harper actually described you as a friend, or more accurately was a friend, that last bit makes sense now if that is what you think of him."

"Someone who tortures a friend and leaves their head in a-" Beka began.

"You think the fact he hasn't been able to fix her, to help her and make her whole again hasn't been torture for Harper?" Doyle questioned. "A day has not gone by where he hasn't done something to try and help her; he lacks the tools not the desire."

"He should have left her alone, allowed her to rest in piece, not in pieces," Beka snapped and looked away.

"I guess by those words you also feel he should have given up too, that his life is not worth saving?"

"He's not as helpless as you think," Beka returned, with a sigh. "Whatever sob story he's sold you, it's just to get you into bed."

"You know, I haven't got time for this, I have to go and help a good friend, not that I expect you to understand what that means," Doyle returned, she paused before looking back at Beka. "Harper was right about you," she simply finished before moving away.

"Wait," Beka called out, she didn't want to leave things like that, knowing that this woman had totally misunderstood her. "Look, I saved Harper from Earth, I helped him and I gave him a life, I worked by his side for nearly nine years, so don't you dare talk to me like I don't know him!" Beka fumed. "But when I needed help," Beka began, but was soon cut off.

"You really think Harper has been in any position to help 'you' in the past three years? He can barely help himself, and you talk as if you know him when you clearly do not. He helps his friends as much as he can but it's not always enough, and I have seen time and time again what Harper is prepared to endure to help his friends!" Doyle stressed and turned to walk away, and Beka quickly got into step beside her.

"He's changed, and he is not the Harper I knew."

"Maybe he's not the one who's changed," Doyle answered.

"The Harper I knew used to have control, used to have a conscience about all life," Beka explained purposefully. "He was not a monster who would decide who lived, who died and who suffered for eternity because he can't let go!"

Doyle was already shaking her head. "You have no idea."

"What were you talking about in the bar?" Beka then asked, deciding that Doyle was unashamedly loyal to Harper and there was no way she could get her to think rationally about things, this woman had no idea who Harper used to be and that was her loss, and not Beka's concern right at that moment.

"I was talking about the person you apparently know better than anyone, but you must have known that already," Doyle responded flippantly.

"I mean, you all sounded like he's dead already," Beka returned arrogantly. "What is the deal around here? You obviously know about Rommie, and Marika is nothing but a low life criminal. How can you pity Harper if he's mixed up with her, it's his own fault if he can't see past her, lets say, feminine ways," Beka suggested.

"You should quit talking now before you really make me angry," Doyle warned.

"I mean what is going on? You, that Marika lady, that girl in the bar, I've never known Harper to attract so much feminine attention," Beka continued.

Doyle no longer responded, and kept staring ahead and on seeing this Beka couldn't accept this.

"The Harper I knew would never work against his will, he'd never let himself become a slave so quit selling me this sob story, I know it's lies, I mean how can he be a prisoner if he works at that damn bar?" Beka protested, remember the discussion she had overheard and jumping to natural conclusions.

"He doesn't work at that bar!" Doyle snapped finally.

"But, that guy, Sembler, he said," Beka tried to question.

Doyle stopped and took a deep breath. "Sembler knows Harper from the back streets, the stores, the only place Harper is free in this damn system for what's its worth," Doyle showed her frustration, but now avoided eye contact with Beka. "He needed some repairs to some gear and they became friends," Doyle tried to quickly explain. "Sembler says Harper has a job at the bar the minute he's free from Marika, but trust me, that's never going to happen but Sembler has this mad notion that it will and that he's going to give Harper his bar the day he's free, and that's why he keeps asking if Harper's going to make his shift each day, it's the only thing to keep his spirits up about a friend he can not help."

"Why would he do that?" Beka still didn't understand.

"He says Harper is worth it, that he knows a good man when he sees one," Doyle simply answered.

"I know that man too," Beka returned. "At least I did."

"As much as I'm not enjoying this, I have to go, Harper might be back and he'll need me if he is," Doyle stated.

"Why?"

"Marika likes torture, and she likes Harper, and now she's killed the only other thing she liked to torture, so I'm not sure and I dread to think what this could mean," Doyle shrugged, but concern was clear on her features. "Harper built Gogol to take the pressure off him, but I'm guessing you probably think that's sick for Harper to build something purely to be tortured, but he had to do it and it's probably saved Harper's life for a little longer, sorry if that annoys you," Doyle started to walk again until Beka spoke up and she stopped.

"Listen, you think you know me, but you don't," Beka stated.

"Harper told me you were self righteous, that he probably disgusts you by who he really is, reverting back to do what he needs to do to survive, if that is the case, you best leave and forget you ever did know him, he's probably better off as dead in your eyes," Doyle answered. "You only knew one Harper, the Harper who was shown a better life and embraced it, well this isn't a better life anymore so deal with it and just walk away."

"Let me come with you," Beka asked in defiance, not willing to walk away.

"So you can upset him further, I don't think so," Doyle replied. "Harper doesn't need friends like you around him at the moment."

"He is a friend," Beka insisted.

"Was a friend," Doyle returned.

"We've been through a lot together, and if he's in trouble I need to see it for myself," Beka stressed.

Doyle offered a disbelieving laugh. "You're unwilling to believe for one moment that he's in trouble until you've seen it with your own eyes, but more than happy to tell complete strangers that he's a petty thief and murderer," Doyle accused. "I'm not going to let you near him, let alone see him, and you best stay out of my way."

Beka heard the words and found herself watching Doyle walk away. Unable to say or do anything, it took Beka a moment to finally move, and she headed back to her sanctuary, needing be in the reassuring surroundings of the Maru to help her think straight.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Part 2

Dylan looked at the early morning sun covering the Maru, docked in the port, and remembered better days before approaching the airlock in front of him. Tentatively he keyed in the code he had always used, and was pleased to see the doors slide open.

"Beka?" he called out on opening. "It's Dylan, are you around?"

"Through here," Beka called back and Dylan walked the short distance to reach the serving area, where Beka had prepared some breakfast for herself.

"Good morning," Dylan offered with a smile. "Are you busy today?"

"Not that I'm aware of, why?" Beka asked, before taking a mouthful of the cereal she had prepared.

"I wondered if you could take me back to the Andromeda, I hate leaving her defenceless up there, and leaving Trance all alone," he spoke with tiredness. "There's nothing much down here for me at the moment," Dylan leant on the server as he spoke.

"Sure, I might spend a few days up there myself, if that's ok?" Beka asked, and Dylan immediately nodded his head. "This whole system is just messing with my head, I just want to go to sleep and pretend none of it ever happened."

"I know the feeling, and I feel as though I've only just got here," Dylan agreed. "To me, this time last week I had a ship and a crew I could depend on and now," Dylan paused and took a breath. "Now, you all feel like strangers to me."

"Trance did this to us," Beka reminded him.

"She was saving us from what I can only imagine was imminent death," Dylan returned.

"And this is better?" Beka questioned, and her spoon fell into her bowl before she pushed it away.

"This isn't better, but we're still alive and where there is life there's hope, remember?" Dylan half smiled.

"I used to remember that, now I keep forgetting," Beka admitted, and brought her hands up to her face as she tried to rub the tired feeling away. "I spoke to Doyle yesterday."

"Doyle?"

"Harper's bit on the side," Beka prompted and Dylan soon remembered.

"That's her name?" he asked, they had never been introduced and so far the only contact he had had with Harper was in the caves and when he had tried to help Rommie.

"I know, what kind of stupid name is that?" Beka agreed finding a slight smile. "She was trying to convince me that Harper needs our help."

"He needs something, I'm not sure if it's our help," Dylan offered with a sigh.

"So I'm not being self righteous in being totally disgusted by what he's done with his time here?" Beka checked, almost relieved.

"Self righteous, no," Dylan answered with conviction.

"Doyle said I was, and that Harper had said the same," Beka remembered.

"Beka, I can't begin to try and understand what Harper has become during his time here, or why it was allowed to happen," Dylan began. "It was bad luck that he's been stuck here for three years but I can not forgive him for what he did to Rommie, or the things he has developed that we saw with our own eyes kill people."

"He almost killed me and Rhade, those stupid devices attacked us too," Beka stated with anger.

"I know, and his desire not to join us and remain where he is has made my life easier, because I'm not sure I could have him on my crew again," Dylan frowned.

Beka slowly nodded her head in understanding. "I knew he wasn't a saint, how could he have survived Earth the way he did, if he didn't have this other side to him?" she explained. "But Rommie was his friend; he adored her and he was capable of doing that to her? Keeping her alive for his own selfish needs, I just can not get past that."

"I understand," Dylan agreed. "But you're not finding it so easy to let him go?"

"I don't know," Beka admitted with a heavy sigh. "I loved Harper, Dylan, he's the closest I've ever had to a soul mate, and we've been through so much together and I can't just pretend none of that ever happened," Beka explained. "Doyle suggested strongly that he needs our help, and if that's true, I won't ever forgive myself if I ignored that."

"In what way could he need our help?" Dylan showed confusion.

"I don't know, she says this other woman they work for, that she likes torture," Beka admitted. "But as far as I could tell he's got himself in pretty nicely with this Marika woman, and he's shown no willingness to leave and come with us so as I see it he's made his bed and he's got to lie in it, and I've never heard Harper complaining about any women making him lie in a bed."

Dylan offered a smirk. "So why would Doyle tell you that Harper needs help? He had plenty of opportunity to tell us himself, and the Harper I knew wouldn't have held back once he saw us if he was in trouble, if anything he seemed annoyed by us turning up, like we were ruining his plans."

"Again, I don't know and she didn't come to find me, I over heard her talking to some people in the bar, and then once outside we just started talking, that is once she'd given me the third degree for even suggesting that Harper was nothing more than a petty thief and murderer," Beka offered.

"I'd still like to know what a woman like Doyle is doing with Harper," Dylan idly remarked.

"I'd rather not know what she's doing," Beka returned. "But it seems if he's got this Marika on one hand and Doyle on the other, no wonder Harper doesn't seem in a hurry to leave this system, he's finally found a place where woman flock around him."

"Makes me even more anxious to leave," Dylan smiled now, and was pleased to see Beka join him with a grin. "Harper can leave those caves at any time, he showed us how, and he must be able to leave that planet at any time, I mean they knew Doyle when she was in that bar in town, and they knew of Harper so he must have his own transport," Dylan offered.

"Doyle told me I didn't understand," Beka shrugged. "And I don't, but Dylan she was genuinely concerned about him, she's not seen him for a day or two, not since he went to see Marika."

"Sounds to me like jealousy, if Harper has got two ladies on the go is it any surprise one gets a little restless when he's in the arms of the other?" Dylan suggested. "And I was never under the impression he was there against his will, he doesn't need our help in that way," he assured Beka now, and hugged her for comfort. "He needs help, but it goes way beyond anything we can offer him."

"You're right, and I've mourned the Harper for six months, maybe I should just continue to do that," Beka frowned.

"It might make it easier to accept that he's no longer the man he was," Dylan agreed, as he pulled away.

Beka nodded her head, almost looking distracted before she looked up at Dylan again. "I'll prep for launch, if you're ready to go?"

"I'm ready," Dylan answered.

* * *

Doyle tentatively stepped into the workshop deep within the caves where she had heard the sounds of someone working.

"Harper?" With a frown, Doyle now heard coughing before she moved further into the room. "Harper!"

Harper turned and looked at Doyle, his hand still to his mouth as he controlled the coughing fit. "Hey," he finally acknowledged with an off key voice. He coughed again, in an attempt to clear his throat but it just set him off again.

Moving closer, Doyle put her hand on Harper's shoulder. The coughs were deep within his chest, and they caused the human discomfort she noticed, and she quickly reached for the glass Harper had on his desk.

"Drink," Doyle ordered.

"No use, it just aggravates it," Harper dismissed and pushed it away before returning to his work.

Doyle sniffed the drink and realised Harper was probably right, smelling the alcohol content. She knew he needed cool soothing water to calm what sounded last a nasty chest infection but that was impossible on Seefra, as it suffered yet another draught. Her thoughts returned to Harper soon enough and she already knew why her friend was suffering with the cough.

"So at least it explains where you were, in those caves deep below us, right?" Doyle questioned.

"Not through choice," Harper responded, returning his focus to his work.

"The air down there always does this to you, causes this reaction," Doyle reminded him with annoyance, but she wasn't mad at him, she was mad at their situation and that it did this to him.

"Again, I didn't choose to go down there," Harper partially snapped.

"I know," Doyle answered with a frown. "Let me see," Doyle then ordered, and grabbed Harper's arm. Initially he tried to snatch it back but gave up soon enough, when Doyle refused to let go. She turned his arm slightly and sighed on seeing the deep red angry abrasions around Harper's wrists, and knowing his other arm would display the same mark. "Why did she tie you up?"

"It was just my wrists," Harper answered without emotion, he had stopped working now and just stared numbly at the junk in front of him before another coughing fit struck, and this time Doyle tried to help him by rubbing his back but she saw him flinch almost immediately and she removed her hand without comment as he brought the coughing under control.

"You need to rest," Doyle simply said and Harper offered no resistance as she quietly led him towards the back room where his cot was waiting for him.

"I'm fine," Harper finally spoke as Doyle gestured to his bunk. "Honestly, I really need to work, I have things to do."

"Did she tell you that?" Doyle asked.

Harper showed his frustration as he looked away. "She found out about Gogol stealing, Doyle, and it doesn't take a genius to work out who was behind it," he stated, moving away from the cot. "I got caught, I got punished, way of the world so deal with it," Harper left the room and Doyle heard him coughing again, as he returned to work.

Slowly Doyle returned to Harper's side, considering what she was about to say. "I saw Beka today."

"How nice," Harper said without emotion.

"Did she ever know you?"

"Of course she did," Harper said immediately in return. "Once," he added, as he opened up a panel on a piece of machinery.

"She was calling you a petty thief and a murderer," Doyle stated.

Harper smirked. "I am," he then answered with a slight shrug.

"Harper, that's unfair," Doyle protested. "It's only because you have no choice."

"We all have choice, and I chose my own path, Doyle," Harper sighed and finally looked at Doyle, putting his hands on her arms as he partly smiled. "I'm no saint, Doyle, and ok, I'm not exactly the worlds worst but you know, I'm not perfect so quit making me out to be the victim here, ok?"

"If you stay here any longer you will be," Doyle spoke seriously.

Harper's glance away confirmed to Doyle that he believed her words too. "You know as well as I do that Marika will never kill me," he said with bitter conviction, and then returned to his room.

"That's not a comfort, Harper," Doyle called after him, and then looked upwards, hoping for some inspiration. A few seconds later she heard the feint noise, and one that set alarm bells ringing inside her head. "Harper?"

With haste, Doyle moved quickly to Harper's room and found him slumped on the floor clutching bloodied arms to his chest, his face a wash of panic and confusion as he breathed deeply in shock.

"What the hell, Harper!" Doyle stressed with alarm, as she quickly began tearing up the bed sheet. Without looking for any response from Harper she wrapped the strips tightly around Harper's wrists and then held him close, neither speaking as they clung to each other for comfort.

"You have to stop doing this, Harper, killing yourself is not the answer!" Doyle finally spoke, feeling so helpless for her friend and refusing to let him go.

"I wasn't serious, never am," Harper murmured softly. "I cut across my wrists, and that's not the way to do it properly," he continued shakily.

"Next time you want to display a cry for help, just cry," Doyle stressed, and they both continued to sit on the floor hugging each other, afraid to let go.

* * *

Being back on the Andromeda wasn't helping. Around every corner Beka felt as though he was on board with her, the friend she once knew. As much as the image of Rommie had haunted her, now the words Doyle had spoken refused to leave. What if Harper was in trouble and no one came to help him?

Shaking her head, Beka refused to believe that Harper wasn't capable of helping himself this time. He wasn't trapped on a ship, he had no bars and chains denying him freedom, and it appeared he even had transport. So why did he need her help, or anyone's help?

"Why do you think Seefra bans tech?"

Beka spun around to find Trance catching her up.

"What?" Beka checked.

"Technology, why do you think Seefra bans it?" Trance innocently asked.

"I don't know," Beka shrugged, before considering it some more. "Maybe they are afraid of it?"

"What's there to be afraid of?"

"Depends who's making the tech," Beka found herself answering. "Some people get carried away, end up hurting others."

"So instead they chose to hurt those who work with tech?" Trance asked.

"Why are you asking me this, Trance?" Beka had to ask, no longer believing coincidences existed as far as the golden one was concerned.

"I need to understand," Trance answered, albeit retaining her innocent air. "This whole system is still very new and confusing to me."

Beka sighed. "In some cultures, those who can work with tech or have a gift can be feared, new tech often frightens people in the first instance, the not knowing."

"A system bred to deny tech, to fear tech as law must be a very dangerous place to someone who embraces it," Trance figured. "And who undeniably is at one with tech must be the most feared, and the most at risk, yes?"

Beka took a deep breath. "Harper?"

"Harper?" Trance looked confused.

"That's your point, right?" Beka checked. "I needed to know what was keeping Harper from helping himself," she realised. "It's not that he can't it's that he has no where to run to!"

"He has his home," Trance answered.

"The only place in this system where he is safe is on board the Andromeda or the Maru," Beka stated. "Neither of which have been here before now, and now they are he thinks we hate him."

"He tried to keep Rommie alive, and now he must pay the price for that friendship," Trance sighed.

"It's not like that Trance," Beka was quick to correct. Trance just looked at her knowingly before Beka spoke again. "He gave Rommie no choice, and she didn't want to be kept alive like that."

"I'm sure if he had been able he would have spared her that torment," Trance spoke sincerely. "Harper is not a bad person, he's just in a bad place right now."

"Then I'll go get him, give him a chance to redeem himself, bring him back here to safety," Beka then decided.

Trance just looked at her. "If it was just a case of bringing him here, he could have done that himself, you said he had his own transport."

"Trance, I never said that," Beka picked up and Trance for a brief second looked uncertain.

"I must have over heard it," Trance quickly explained, and then made to move.

"Just tell me what I have to do," Beka stood firm, blocking her exit. "Enough of your riddles."

"Take away Harper's problem," Trance explained. "Set him free in this system so he can help himself, and then help you all."

"He can do that?" Beka questioned and Trance only nodded her head in reply. "How?"

"Give him freedom in this system, and it will become clear."

"The problem right now is the tech ban, how do I get a whole system to stop banning tech?" Beka questioned.

"Go to the source?" Trance shrugged, returning rapidly to her innocent pose.

"The source?" Beka considered. "The tech police?" Trance allowed a secret smile, and Beka finally let her pass. "Sure, I'll just destroy the tech police and everything will be just great," she mocked, unconvinced. "I'm not sure Harper's worth that risk."

"He is," Trance's voice called back from some distance away, and Beka could only raise her eyebrows in surprise.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

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* * *

Part 3 

Harper froze for a moment, and then stretched his back to remove a kink. He had been hunched over several different parts for a couple of hours and his sore body was beginning to protest. Doyle had finally left him alone, having fussed over his injuries for an age, to go and retrieve more of the repairs he needed to do and it had given him some peace and quiet that all too soon was destroyed again.

"Harper."

Harper immediately kicked the stool back and stood up, turning around abruptly.

"Marika!" he exclaimed with semi-joy. "Been so long, I almost forgot what you looked like."

"Cut the crap, are you done yet?" Marika asked, moving forward and into Harper's personal space.

"Not quite, it's taken me a little longer than I first thought, I needed to rest," Harper quickly explained. "My chest is playing up again, but no need to worry, it's clear for the most part now, got some of that fresh oxygen works a treat," he added, patting the area as if it further explain his words.

"Shut up, I'm tired of your voice and excuses," Marika ordered, looking past him towards his work.

"Shutting up," Harper was quick to accept, as Marika now moved past him to examine his work more closely.

"You've barely started!" she exclaimed.

"Now don't be silly, not that I'm suggesting you are but what you see as barely started, I see as half way through almost completed, and I'm the one who knows what he's doing so let me be and everything will be fixed on time," Harper stressed, trying to usher her away.

"You have four hours, I'm not taking any more crap from you Harper, not after your idiotic plans almost destroyed me and everything I have worked for, Gogol was the last straw, Harper, no more games, you hear me?" Marika demanded, and Harper nodded his head without comment, avoiding eye contact.

Harper then saw his cue to continue work, even with Marika still standing close and he focused on the part he was working on before she had arrived. His hands were shaking, and her close proximity was making it hard for Harper to concentrate. Moments later he tensed up and grimaced as Marika's hand came to rest heavily on his back, and his breathing instinctively quickened.

"Don't let me down," Marika hissed in his ear.

"Not planning to babe," Harper returned with a strained voice, between breaths.

Her hand continued to aggravate his back, causing him discomfort but Harper did nothing to stop her. Her slightly taller frame stood over him, making him feel nervous suddenly as she put her other hand on top of his.

"Don't ever forget who's in charge," Marika stated firmly. "And don't expect that trash you hang around with to protect you," she sneered. "Look up, Harper."

Harper tentatively looked up and saw Doyle was there, having returned, but flanked by four of Marika's men, with weapons raised she dared not move to help her friend.

"You've changed things to be like this Harper, with your ridiculous attempts to continue to undermine me," Marika said with authority. "You betray me one more time and I will hand you over and claim the reward that's on your head, you are not beyond being replaced."

"You're wrong," Harper found some strength by looking at Doyle, and then found his hair being grabbed from behind.

"I'm never wrong."

Harper yelped as Marika pushed him hard, causing more pain to his back as he fell forward onto the worktop, scattering the parts he'd been working on. With a smirk that Harper missed, Marika left the room gesturing to her guards to leave with her and Doyle was left to stand alone.

"Freaking bitch from hell!" Harper spat once Marika had left, now seeing his work scattered across the table and seeing some had fallen to the floor.

Doyle had hurried over and was already picking up the stray bits from the floor, and she put them on the desk for Harper, who was rapidly trying to compose himself.

"She's real mad at you," Doyle observed.

"Newsflash," Harper angrily returned.

"What did she do to you?" Doyle then asked.

"The same that any low life scum likes to do to me, sign their names across my back," Harper stressed with petulance, and he moved away. "I can't get that work done in four hours, its impossible!" he panicked now, swiftly changing the subject.

"Harper, we'll do as much as we can, least then she can see we've made the effort," Doyle suggested, but Harper was already shaking his head.

"Won't be good enough, Doyle, you heard her, she's ready to hand me over, I've freaking blown it!" Harper spoke with fear and anger. "I'm worth more as a reward than as a scientist," he added, and looked ready to lash out at something, but as he was about to swing to strike an object he pulled up and gasped in pain.

"Harper?" Doyle was by his side in seconds.

"Ow," Harper winced, and now looked nothing short of pathetic as his emotions caught up with him. "Damn back, why do they keep doing that to me?"

"Doing what?" Doyle asked.

"Hitting it, striking it, you name it, right across my back," Harper complained with more composure, or resignation now. "I really hate torture," he sighed.

"Let me see," Doyle requested.

"And why do people always want to see, man, you're just like Beka, you know that?" Harper snapped and moved away.

"Beka?" Doyle felt offended.

"I mean, the Beka I used to know, the one who gave a damn," Harper quickly corrected, now some distance away and looking ready to get back to work. Harper then stopped and saw Doyle still didn't understand, looking a little insulted. "There were these two times we were both on supply runs, Beka and I, and there was this guy, Tyrone, who crossed our paths and to cut two long stories short, both times he hurt me the same," he hesitated. "Let's just say he hurt me till my back was nothing more than shreds, ok? The guy got a strange kick out of it," Harper finished looking uncomfortable as he returned to his work and unable to look at Doyle.

"Where was Beka when he did this to you?"

"The first time, she was forced to leave the ship and the second time was locked up in another part of the ship," Harper remembered now, with distraction as he examined a piece of circuitry closely. "She couldn't have prevented it," he added quietly.

Doyle closed the space between them. "I'm afraid, Harper."

"Don't be," Harper answered.

"I don't know what I'll do if anything happens," Doyle frowned.

"You'll be ok, so don't get all silly on me, Doyle, please?" Harper requested with a sigh, then stopped his work. "We could maybe run?"

Doyle considered his idea and then shook her head. "She's probably already tipped them off that you might," she sighed, the Tech Police and Marika had a very good working relationship that had always kept Harper in his place, Marika had protected him from them for three years and she wouldn't hesitate to ensure that good relations with the authorities continued by handing them Harper the moment he stepped out of line.

"I'm going to see Marika, I have to try and talk my way around her again, this is ridiculous," Harper decided.

"No, Harper," Doyle grabbed hold of his arm.

"What choice do I have?"

"Marika wants that, Harper, she wants you to beg her to forgive you so you agree to more dangerous things, and give her more control," Doyle stressed.

Harper's expression showed that he was already fully aware of that. "What choice do I have?" he repeated.

Doyle glanced down and saw the bandages around Harper's wrists that partly answered his question, before she looked him in the eye. "Maybe things won't be so bad if the Tech Police capture you?" she suggested. "They can only imprison you, and they can't hurt you as bad as she does, surely?"

"You want to run?" Harper checked, a smile creeping across his face.

Just as Harper was accepting that Doyle had made a decision, he spun around knowing that two of the creatures that acted as Marika's army were stood at the door. There appearance meant only one thing, Marika wanted to see Harper.

"Don't go, Harper," Doyle had fear in her voice.

"I'll just go see what she wants," Harper suggested.

"She knows," Doyle glanced around the room. "This workshop must be bugged, we should stick together."

"Then we'll both go," Harper stated and waiting for Doyle to step alongside him they walked to the guards.

The guards immediately put a hand out to stop Doyle, and grabbed Harper, shoving him forward.

"Hey!" Doyle argued, as she was prevented from leaving the workshop.

"Must only be me she wants to see," Harper called back, whilst being forced to walk by one of the guards who had clamped his hand on Harper's shoulder.

Doyle backed away so the guard left to follow his friend, who still manhandled Harper. Feeling frustrated, Doyle turned and wished she had the strength and power to help her friend. Now that she considered it, she did feel a presence in the room and within seconds she had found the tiny listening device in one of the parts she had only just brought into the lab when she had picked up the parts to be repaired. Cursing herself, Doyle knew she could do more, but she didn't know how even though more and more she began to believe that she could take them all on, and get Harper out of there if she truly wanted.

* * *

The Maru rocked and an explosion of sparks covered the cockpit as Beka expertly steered the Maru over low ground, being chased by a series of smaller land craft. 

"This is a crazy plan, Beka," Rhade called out over the noise. "But I think it's going to work!"

"That's the plan!" Beka enthused as she focused on flying her ship. "Now for the big finish!" she smiled as she pulled the craft up and slowed rapidly down. Below the Maru the pursuing land craft quickly became the pursued as Beka dipped back down. "Fire on targets!"

Rhade complied, taking out the last remaining craft and both occupants of the Maru cheered emphatically at their success.

"We did it!" Beka then spoke with joy.

"Beka, this is Dylan, the tech police have just announced their surrender and disbandment, ground crew success, how about you guys?" Dylan asked, his voice carrying the air of achievement.

"All clear, destroyed," Beka returned, glancing at Rhade with a smile.

"Meet at the bar, celebrations are already in full swing," Dylan signed off.

"I've been here nine months and never realised such a simple act as turning renegade on authorities could achieve so much for the mood of the place," Rhade remarked.

"We all needed this," Beka agreed. "Strike one for the good guys."

"Why did you do this?" Rhade then asked.

"I just thought the ban on tech would hinder us, and our attempts to leave, why chance it?" Beka answered defensively, as she steered the Maru towards the celebrations in town.

"Did you do it for Harper?"

"Harper?" Beka asked. "No."

"You sure?"

"Rhade, what is your point?" Beka returned tiredly, as she landed the Maru. "Yeah, so it could benefit Harper but I'm thinking long term, maybe you should try it once you can get past thinking of your next drink," Beka stated as she unfastened the harness securing her to the pilot's chair and left to join the celebrations.

* * *

Doyle had heard the explosions and noise and headed directly to Marika's offices. She no longer cared for her own safety, things were going down, and she sensed it was bad so she was going to get Harper out of there; it was like a natural instinct for her to want Harper safe. 

Storming into the cavern of the caves that Marika called her own, Doyle was surprised to see mayhem around her. Finally she spotted Marika and she moved to confront her.

"Where's Harper!"

Marika turned, and her confusion was clear. "I assumed he was with you."

"You sent two of your army to bring him to you," Doyle reminded her.

"Last time I saw him was when I was pushing him into his desk," Marika responded. "I wanted those repairs finished so why would I have ordered him to come see me so soon?" she glanced at the time. "He still has a couple of hours to go before deadline."

"He's been gone for nearly an hour!" Doyle stressed angrily, not convinced by Marika's words. "So where is he?"

"Right now I have more important things to worry about," Marika returned. "Those friends of Harper's have rallied the people to overthrow the tech police."

"That would be good, right?" Doyle checked, unsure.

"On Seefra One, maybe, but I have it on good authority that those who remain, and haven't surrendered are on their way here to expose us, and try and win back some of their authority and respect," Marika had genuine fear in her voice and they all looked around when another explosion rocked the foundations. "In fact I think they are already here."

"We have to find Harper, if they find him first it could undermine everything," Doyle warned, and was surprised to have Marika's support as she gestured to Doyle to move.

"Let's go talk to the guards," Marika stated. "As much as you can talk to creatures who can only listen," she added with haste.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

Part 4

"Can you at least let go of me?" Harper asked wearily. For the past hour one of the guards had kept a tough hold on his shoulder and it was beginning to ache. He was stood in one of the many caverns of Marika's hide out, an area assigned to the creatures he had helped to home grow forming Marika's army of disfigured attempts at creating a new Vedran age.

Coming from Earth, Harper usually found it hard to be squeamish about appearances, he had seen some horrors from starvation, Magog attacks and Uber ill treatment, but he truly could not stomach what these creations looked like under their heavily wrapped layers. It even felt creepy to him just being around them like this. These 'things' would never ever be a part of anything he would associate himself with in later years, Harper decided, if he ever got to his later years. These beings were never a part of his plans to make his ma and pa proud.

Naturally there was no answer, and Harper wasn't expecting one knowing the guards didn't have the intellect to speak; they could only listen and follow orders. They understood language to some extent, but had no ability to express their thoughts verbally. He had made them that way to prevent them answering back and giving Marika more reasons to get mad at him, only when these beings started to actually resemble the finish product was he considering giving them a voice.

"Look, at least tell me why I'm here, what's going on?" Harper then asked with some confusion, and found a couple of the monsters turn to him. Already things were odd, these creatures only ever acted on Marika's or, to some extent, his orders, so when they turned up like they had he took it for granted that they were there because Marika had summoned him. Never before had they brought him to their area, and for no obvious reason, and slight chills of doubt began to rise within Harper.

Then to Harper's amazement one of his creations began gesturing to the door, and then crossed his arms repeatedly. Harper watched the action a couple of times, before realising the guard was trying to communicate.

"When did you guys start to sign language?" Harper asked with genuine confusion, and more to himself. "Ok, let's see if I'm understanding this," Harper began. "Out there," Harper repeated the gestured towards the door. "No go?" he checked as he copied the crossing of arms motion.

The guard nodded his head and Harper could only show surprise, these things were communicating with him. "I can't go out there?" Harper checked and again the guard nodded. "Why not?" Harper asked.

Three of the guards now exchanged looks, and Harper wasn't sure if they were communicating is some crude way or just looking for reassurance. One of the guards then approached Harper and grabbed his upper arms.

"Hey," Harper protested, feeling the tight grip. The guard let go, and then hit his own chest before grabbing Harper again, this repeated a couple of times before Harper ordered him to stop. "Me, you want me?" Harper wasn't sure what they were meaning by this action and the guard shaking his head confirmed this. The guard grabbed his arms again. "Me?" Harper asked and the guard nodded his head eagerly before then hitting his own chest. "You?" Harper figured, before being grabbed again. "You need me?" Harper frowned unsure, but was surprised to find all the guards now actively nodding their heads. "You need me and that's why I can't go out there?" Harper asked, feeling a moment of joy at the crude form of communication.

Harper smiled for a moment before turning back to the guard showing the obvious skill for mime. "So what do you need?" he asked, and immediately felt the tight grip on his arms again. "Ok, so you need me, I get that, but why?"

Before Harper could stop him, the guard pushed Harper back against the rocky wall and held him there, a few of the other guards surrounded him effectively blocking his escape and Harper noticed through the gaps a couple of other guards move to the door. Normally, this could have seriously freaked Harper out but he felt no threat, and he realised the actions were not supposed to contain him.

"You need me safe?" Harper spoke up. "You're protecting me?"

The guards all turned and nodded their heads and Harper tried not to laugh, the situation was getting quite surreal.

"Who are you protecting me against?" Harper had to ask. "Marika?" he checked, realising a mime of that woman could become anything.

The guards all nodded their heads. "So I'm here because you want to protect me from Marika?" Harper confirmed, and felt a little bit of pride in his creations until the guard approached him again. A covered hand prodded Harper's chest, and then returned to its owner's chest. "I, you?" Harper began.

The guard then unwrapped the bindings around his neck and pulled the rotten rags that formed his uniform aside to reveal a mishmash of disfigured skin that the guard than ran his finger down.

"You've lost me," Harper admitted, trying not to look at the scarred skin.

The guard showed a moment of frustration and Harper found his chest being prodded again.

"I?" Harper checked finding he was right.

Without warning the guard then grabbed Harper's shirt and ripped it. "Hey!" Harper protested angrily, and moved away. "What the hell are you doing?"

Unable to answer, the guards instead grabbed Harper and held him in place. Harper was suddenly weary of his situation, tensing up he stared wide eyed at the creatures around him. The guard approached again and this time prodded Harper's now bare chest roughly with a rag covered hand, and he kept prodding until Harper reluctantly spoke.

"I," Harper stated, clearly not so willing to play along now.

The guard finally removed his hand from Harper's chest and touched his own, and once again waited for Harper to speak. With petulance, Harper sneered his reply.

"You."

Harper watched as his creation ran the clothed hand down the ugly and disfigured chest, before flinching slightly as the hand returned to his own chest and ran along the flawless skin in comparison. The being then looked at Harper, keeping his hand on Harper's chest.

"I don't know what you're saying," Harper admitted, not even wanting to guess.

The guard grabbed Harper's hand under protest and placed it against his disfigured skin. Closing his eyes, Harper felt the nasty scarred tissue and tried to move his hand away, but the guard kept it in place. Harper felt uncomfortable now, and wanted to get away feeling powerless in their hold. The guards were not supposed to be capable of communication and this situation was just steering a little too past weirdness for his liking.

Harper still had his eyes closed when he felt a sudden movement and then the shock of a clothed hand catch him hard across the cheek, sending him to the ground in pain. With his hands now free, Harper clutched his cheek and tried to recover his breath before he was pulled up once more, and held firmly by the guards, despite his attempts to free himself.

"Ow!" Harper finally stressed angrily towards the guard who had struck him. "Look, I don't get what you're saying, ok?" he snapped with frustration. "Maybe I got lucky the first time!"

The guard simply prodded Harper again and waited, and with a heavy sigh Harper wearily responded.

"I," he shrugged.

This time the guard put a hand on Harper's exposed chest and stroked it before putting his other hand on his own chest and doing likewise. A cold fear began to rise inside of Harper as he began to see what the guard might be saying.

"Like me?" Harper checked and there was a flash of understanding, and a nod of a head from the guard. "You want me," Harper slowly began and all around him heads began to nod. "To make you, like me?" he checked and when the guards all around him began to wildly agree, Harper felt as though he had been kicked in the gut.

"I can't do that," Harper then spoke with fear, and the room immediately fell silent.

The guards suddenly all seemed to rush forward, marching Harper back and he soon found himself pressed up against the rocky wall, the stone immediately aggravating his sore back and he flinched as the lead guard leaned far too close for comfort.

A wrapped finger once against prodded Harper's chest, more abruptly this time. Harper controlled his fear and looked at the being. "There's nothing I can do, believe me I've tried," Harper insisted.

Two heavy hands pushed against Harper's chest with force, causing Harper to involuntarily cry out as his back once again made contact with the rough stone.

"I'm sorry," Harper stressed, through gritted teeth, and for the moment it seemed as though he had said enough to make them stop. The guards moved away, leaving Harper to gain a short distance from the wall.

"Did you bring me here to make me help you?" Harper then tentatively asked. "Or because you feared Marika handing me over to the police?"

The guards turned back to him, and the lead one gestured to Harper before patting his own chest.

"I made you," Harper concluded from their actions and the guards nodded. Harper sighed, and in some ways he wished there was something he could do but he was lost as to what.

A sudden nearby explosion caught all of their attentions and then they heard voices, and Harper recognised them both. "Doyle?" he questioned having also heard Marika, but before he could call out he felt his whole body being practically lifted and then he was falling, before crashing to a stop in a painful heap. Above him a trap door was shut, and all the light was gone.

"Crap," Harper stressed, he felt numbness around his shoulders but he didn't want to be left amongst these monsters he had created. "DOYLE!" Harper screamed. "MARIKA!" he yelled as loudly as he could, and repeatedly until finally the hatch above opened but instead of Doyle and Marika, two of the guards jumped down.

Immediately the first one to land covered Harper's mouth with his rags around his hand. Harper struggled but a sharp pain in his shoulder gave him little manoeuvrability, and then the second guard grabbed Harper's kicking legs and he was finally contained.

Harper could hear movement above now but was powerless to make his presence known. He should have waited, he chided himself, at least until Marika and Doyle had arrived before shouting. Now he was practically being suffocated by one of the guards, and the other made sure he could hardly move a muscle.

With resignation, Harper relaxed and tried to control his breathing. The stench of the rags across his nose and mouth was making him feel sick, being pressed into the ground reminded him of his sore back and he had no idea what he had done to his shoulder when he had landed, after being thrown into this pit, but it hurt like hell now.

Another explosion was heard, and dust and small debris fell around them. Moments later there were loud noises, shouting and the hatch opened again, more of the guards fell into the pit landing on the two holding Harper down. There was something different, Harper noticed as bodies fell around and on top of him; the guards falling in were no longer alive.

* * *

"Hey!" Sembler yelled above the noise, as he got up onto the bar top to get everyone's attention. "Listen up, we're hearing news!"

As the noise quickly settled to a low hum Dylan, Rhade, Beka and Trance turned to face Sembler from their table in the corner, as he continued.

"The tech police have not completely disbanded, despite their surrender," Sembler began. "A small group have taken revenge, we're hearing of a bloody battle, and Marika is dead!"

A huge cheer went up around the bar and many glasses were clinked together in celebration of the news.

"Her base has been gutted, all those creatures and her work has been destroyed," Sembler's tone quickly hushed the bar. "We are hearing of no survivors."

Dylan glanced around the bar, and then to his crew. Immediately he knew they were thinking the same as he was.

"Some of us here had family or friends who were slaves to that woman, and some of us here refuse to believe that anyone could be a slave to that woman," Sembler glanced at the table where Beka was sat. "But no one worked for her willingly and I fear we have now lost them in this war, they are all casualties of our freedom and we will never forget them!"

A huge cheer of approval sounded, and then random names began to be cried out to remember those who were now feared lost. No words were said between Dylan, Rhade, Trance and Beka, until Sembler raised his glass.

"Seamus Harper and Doyle," Sembler offered, and Beka immediately got to her feet and left the bar.

Once outside Beka covered her mouth desperate to keep her emotions in check, she took some deep breaths and looked upwards.

"Beka," Dylan calmly spoke, as he cautiously approached. "There's no evidence or fact supporting Sembler's claims."

"I started this for Harper, ok?" Beka returned abruptly, her voice etched with distress. "It wasn't a need to break the tedium, and it wasn't just something to do. I wanted to disband the tech police for Harper!"

"I know," Dylan admitted, having suspected as much. "Your protests that it had nothing to do with Harper made it obvious that it was."

"And you still helped?" Beka checked.

"You were fighting for freedom, and the tech police would have provided us with too many problems ourselves later down the line," Dylan considered. "Plus, if the tech police were in any way hindering Harper's ability to live as a free man, I wouldn't wish that upon him."

"What if he's dead now because of what we did?" Beka asked.

"Ask yourself if you really believe he is," Dylan stated. "Do you actually believe Seamus Harper is dead?"

"No," Beka reluctantly agreed. "He survived worse than a renegade attack."

"Harper is a survivor and if Marika's base came under attack then I know Harper found a way out, or a good place to hide," Dylan offered a brief smile.

"You better hope he's alive because you're getting my hopes up here, and you don't want to see me if that hope is taken away again," Beka stressed. "I've been telling myself now for days that I hate him, yet first mention that he could be dead and I lose it," Beka then sniffed and wiped her eyes, composing herself quickly.

"You're incapable of hating Harper," Dylan embraced Beka now. "You have only felt the way you have these past few days because he let you down, but you never hated him, you love him, you told me that yourself, he's your soul mate."

"My soul mate," Beka grinned.

"Nothing has changed," Dylan assured her. "Next time you see him, talk to him, and tell him how you feel."

"What do you mean?" Beka pulled away unsure. "Confess to him that I love him? He'll laugh in my face," Beka stressed.

"I said talk to him, not propose to him," Dylan returned with amusement, and then frowned. "Unless?" he prompted.

"No!" Beka snapped quickly. "I just misunderstood what you were telling me," Beka explained. "I need to talk to him, properly, talk to him, you're right," she then readily agreed, but seemed at odds.

"If he is still alive," Dylan offered and Beka sharply turned round to face him.

"He is, I know it, now I'm thinking straight I just know he's not dead," Beka grinned confidently.

"I needed to hear that," Dylan gestured to Beka to join him, and they both returned to the bar.

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

Part 5

The weight of ten or more dead creatures was bad enough, but the smell made it worse. Seamus Harper couldn't move, and his body felt numb under the mass of bodies. He desperately needed and wanted to cough, but he forced himself not too, not willing to risk the repercussions, so instead his breathing was laboured and he felt light headed.

"Harper!"

Harper blinked his eyes, and then focused on listening and containing any joy at hearing the familiar voice.

"Harper!"

"Doyle!" Harper yelled, pleased that the need to cough had subsided and he heard the trap door above creak open. With bodies literally covering him, he shouted again so Doyle could locate him.

Soon enough he felt the pressure on top of him subside, as Doyle made easy work of removing the bodies. Gasping now as he took in a full lungful of air, Harper felt his upper body being lifted up and into an embrace as Doyle hugged him tight. The pain in his shoulder then kicked in as he tensed and tried not to scream out.

"What's wrong?" Doyle was quick to react.

"Shoulder, hurts," Harper strained.

"It's dislocated," Doyle soon accessed, by just looking. "Tell me how you got down here," Doyle then spoke as she put both her hands on his injured shoulder.

"Those freaks, they communicated with me, they were protecting me," Harper began with a pained expression, and didn't notice when Doyle suddenly put pressure on his shoulder and he screamed out as she put the joint back in. Holding him close again, Doyle waited until Harper was able to speak. "Sheesh, some warning next time?" he managed. "Maybe those freaks were right that I needed protecting," he complained between heavy breaths.

"I couldn't warn you, it would have hurt more," Doyle simply said. "You were saying?" she prompted.

"Doesn't matter," Harper looked around the small area and saw it littered with the dead bodies of his creations.

"It's over, Harper," Doyle then spoke. "You no longer have to stay here, the tech police are gone, disbanded, and your friends did that."

"Gone?" Harper checked. "The ban on tech?"

"Gone," Doyle partly smiled.

"I'm free?" Harper tried to comprehend the news. "What about Marika?"

"What about her?" Doyle was quick to ask. "Harper, you no longer have to stay here and she can't make you."

"I know, but," Harper shrugged as much as his sore shoulder allowed.

"No buts, Harper," Doyle stressed. "She hurts you and enjoys it, you're not staying here." Harper seemed at odds, and Doyle wanted to hit him with the frustration she felt. "Harper, you don't have to put up with Marika anymore."

"What else can I do?" Harper then asked.

"Sembler's offer remains open," Doyle suggested.

"Run a bar?" Harper seemed sceptical. "Doyle, I'm a scientist, an engineer, one of the best and you say I should leave all this to run a small town bar?"

"You want to stay?" Doyle asked, as she helped Harper to his feet.

"I don't know," Harper looked conflicted.

With his shirt already ripped Doyle had no trouble reaching around and placing her hand under the torn shirt and straight onto Harper's back, twisting him around quickly so he was now pressed against the stone wall.

"Ow!" Harper protested, her hand easily aggravating the damage to his back.

"Do you like pain?"

"No," Harper answered angrily.

"So why do you want to stay, when she does this to you?" Doyle asked.

"I don't want to stay for that, I want to stay for the science," Harper stressed.

"I don't believe you," Doyle sharply returned.

"What?" Harper spun around, as Doyle let him go. "You can't say that, what the hell is happening around here?" Harper's patience had gone, it had been bad enough that his creatures had learnt to communicate, but now Doyle was accusing him of lying?

Doyle looked at him quizzically. "What do you mean I can't say that? You think I should agree with everything you say?"

"Yes," Harper answered before thinking, then remembered his secret, the one he never wanted her to find out. "I mean no, I mean you're suppose to be my friend," he quickly offered, avoiding her gaze.

"I'm trying to be, Harper, why do you think I want you to leave?" Doyle stressed, and when Harper failed to respond she moved closer. "You're my best friend, Harper and I hate to see you get hurt, I feel protective of you, I care so please understand why I want you to leave with me."

"You're leaving?" Harper then asked, catching her drift whilst desperately trying to hide his confusion.

"I'm not staying here, not now we are all free," Doyle stated.

"What if I stay?"

"I don't want you to, but if you do then I guess we'll have to promise to keep in touch," Doyle shrugged now.

"You can't leave, Doyle, this is your home," Harper argued, just stopping himself from saying she wasn't programmed to 'want' to leave.

Doyle looked around the rocky walls, her memories of her life before arriving at Marika's base were still absent, but she knew she didn't belong there. "I need to find my home, Harper, this isn't it and it never was, just like it's not really yours."

"I can't return home, not to any of them," Harper sighed. "I consider this my home now."

Doyle walked over to the ladder and began to climb it, and Harper followed. When they reached the top, Harper saw the true devastation of what he had missed.

"This place really got turned over," Harper spoke with shock. Equipment was destroyed and bodies of the guards were sprawled all over the place.

"Harper!"

Harper turned and saw a battered looking Marika, blood still evident about her.

"Don't Harper, please, just walk away," Doyle requested behind him. "Come with me."

Harper felt torn, he didn't want Doyle to leave but seeing Marika in pain, he needed to know she was alright.

"She doesn't care, Harper," Doyle stressed.

Harper closed his eyes, knowing Marika and Doyle were now in a silent battle of wills, both wanting to have him side with them. Harper knew Marika was no saint, she had hurt him many times but he'd never felt about a woman the way he felt about her. Harper also knew that Doyle wasn't real; she was someone he had built, something he had needed to do. He felt torn purely because he had built Doyle to be his voice of reason when it came to Marika, and it pained him to hear what he needed to hear, Harper knew he had to walk away and leave Marika but he wasn't moving.

"Harper," Marika almost purred.

"Marika, so glad you're ok," Harper enthused.

"Everything has gone," Marika gestured. "I have nothing now."

"You still have me," Harper tried to console her brightly. "I'm only a little damaged," he tried to joke but Marika wasn't smiling.

"See what you can retrieve, what we can salvage," Marika then ordered. "Least now that we don't have the threat of the tech police we might be able to get some real work done around here."

Harper nodded his head, eager to follow the orders but when he turned to speak to Doyle, she was already gone.

"Doyle?" Harper called out, in the hope that she had only just left but he feared she was already gone.

"Forget about her now, Harper, we need to focus on us, and our future," Marika stepped up beside him. "We need to get to work."

* * *

Beka cautiously walked into the bar and immediately saw that she was the last one to arrive, and she took the final seat at the table.

"Any news?" Beka asked.

"Nothing," Dylan returned, knowing what she was referring to. "It's looking more and more likely that the first reports were true, the base and all inside was destroyed."

"I don't believe it," Beka stated defiantly, her expression hard as she stared at Dylan.

"Trance?" Dylan turned his attention to the golden alien.

With a shrug Trance could only show her uncertainty before speaking. "I do know that we need to work as one to bring unity, but I am unsure if that unity has been disturbed."

"Why can't we go and find out for ourselves?" Beka asked.

"And waste more time?" Rhade chipped in. "We need to get out of this system before it kills any more of us!"

"Harper is not dead!" Beka stressed. "And if we can get the Andromeda moving again isn't he the one person we need on board to get her going?"

"He's not interested even if he is still alive, and if he was interested then he wouldn't have been at that base to get killed," Rhade returned, before taking a gulp of his drink. "He's not the sort of man we should be wasting time on, or relying on."

"And you are?" Beka returned pointedly.

"You know what I mean, how could you have forgotten already, so easily dismiss what he did to Rommie?" Rhade asked.

"Ok, enough," Dylan spoke up before Beka could speak. "We don't have the resources to go, that whole area is still too dangerous with the rebels to go and see for ourselves," Dylan offered to Beka before turning to Rhade. "And Rhade, I'd appreciate your thoughts staying in your head until you can think about what you're saying."

Rhade dismissed Dylan's words with a shrug, and leaned back in his chair as the others looked on, and for a moment nothing was said.

"So where is Harper, if he did somehow worm his way out of death?" Rhade asked flippantly.

"He's with her."

Everyone looked up at the new voice and to their obvious amazement they saw Doyle at the entrance to the bar, close to where they were seated.

"He's alive?" Beka asked with hope. "I mean you're alive and we were told you had all been killed."

"Harper, Marika, and myself, we all survived," Doyle simply said before moving to the bar, seemingly disinterested in continuing the conversation.

"I knew it," Beka quietly smiled, turning back to the group sat at the table.

"Why is he still with this Marika lady?" Rhade asked. "I thought we'd done all that fighting so he could be free?"

"You're right," Dylan agreed, and glanced at Doyle who was stood at the bar now speaking to Sembler, but before Dylan could get up to go and talk to her, Sembler raised his voice enough for them to hear.

"He's what?" Sembler demanded. "He's free and he chose to stay with that bitch?"

"Please," Doyle hissed, aware of the scene Sembler was creating.

"Maybe I did over estimate his intelligence," Sembler was clearly fuming. "What the hell is he thinking?"

"He loves her," Doyle simply said.

Dylan turned to his friends, seeing the shock and surprise registering on their faces.

"I can't compete with that, none of us can," Doyle simply continued, and turned to leave but before she could make it to the door Dylan stood up to intercept her. He checked her expression, and saw that Doyle was strangely calm, when he had expected some emotion. "What do you want?" Doyle finally asked.

"Sit with us," Dylan requested.

"I have no business here," Doyle answered and tried to move past the high guard captain.

"Please," Dylan gestured to his chair. "We need to know about our friend."

"Your friend?" Doyle smirked. "He wants nothing to do with any of you, he didn't come with me because he claims he has no home other than those caves with that woman," she stressed. "He chose Marika because he believes he has no one else, not even me."

"Sit down, please," Dylan asked again, and with only a slight hesitation, Doyle sat down.

Dylan found another seat and settled down, before looking at Doyle. "Are you and Harper, in any way?" Dylan prompted.

"No, we're good friends but no more," Doyle answered. "I really care about him, and he's helped me a lot since I got amnesia. I have no recollection of any time before I met him, and he has always been there for me. Am I in love with him?" Doyle questioned herself. "Yes, but its not a romantic love, I feel very protective of him, he looks after me and I've tried to return that but lately, he's been listening to me less and less, Marika has him where she wants him."

"Harper looks after you?" Rhade questioned, hiding a smirk.

"He's my best friend," Doyle returned, seemingly oblivious to Rhade's amusement.

"But he chose to stay with Marika," Beka now questioned. "What is it, some twisted love affair? Just the other day you were telling me Marika had Harper as her prisoner and you never mentioned love."

Doyle took a moment to collect her thoughts before speaking. "It's not returned, Harper has feelings for Marika, but she couldn't care less about him."

"Sound's like Harper's love life," Rhade remarked.

"How can he lust after a woman you told me likes to torture him?" Beka asked with a frown.

"Not sure we should go there," Rhade stated, and finished his beer before he ordered a fresh one. "Each to their own I think the saying goes."

"It's not like that," Doyle returned. "I thought maybe it might be but I think he genuinely thinks it will stop when she realises her feelings for him."

"But that will never happened," Beka stated. "Love is blind."

"I don't think it will, and I'm not sure he'll listen to anyone until the day she finally goes too far," Doyle sighed, and looked down. "Those caves are not good for him, he keeps getting ill, and I just wish he'd left when he had the chance," Doyle looked away. "I knew that once he saw Marika looking so helpless I had lost him," she finally spoke with sadness.

"Harper has this in built ability to move on, it's his survival tactic," Beka spoke, as if from experience.

"He's never been one to cling onto his past," Dylan observed.

"Outwardly," Beka corrected. "Inwardly, whole different situation and that's why this time we have to make him stop and think about what he's pushing away, he can't pretend we don't exist, or that none of us matter to him, not this time, we won't let him forget any of us," Beka motioned to Doyle. "He has to see that he can't keep walking away."

"Rommie," Trance then spoke up. "He's cut up about Rommie, more than we probably gave him credit for, and we only serve to remind him of what he has lost, and he can't deal with that."

"And the solution to his grief is not to give himself to this Marika woman," Beka stressed.

Rhade got to his feet, clearly at odds. "Will you listen to yourselves?" Rhade gestured. "Harper is not worth any of this, and if he wants to shack up with that evil bit on the side then let him, jeez the guy deserves whatever happiness his twisted little mind can afford him so just forget about him."

"Such a romantic," Beka sniped at Rhade, and got to her feet to match him. "But don't you dare tell me Harper isn't worth it again, because when he does see sense and he gets us closer to leaving this system, you'll be the one we'll forget about, lying in your drunken stupor in the corner!"

"Will you two pack it in?" Dylan ordered, and watched as both Rhade and Beka sat down again, whilst glaring at each other.

Silence returned again before Trance sat forward and looked at Doyle. "What did you mean when you said Harper keeps getting ill?" Trance asked.

Doyle felt a little uncomfortable now sat with the group, she was at odds as to whether they actually liked Harper or not, but she now saw that Beka was different to her first impressions, and seemed to actually care a little about Harper, giving her some hope.

Seeing Trance still waiting for an answer she spoke up. "I'm not sure, he becomes weak and finds it hard to breath, gets a bad cough," Doyle remembered the symptoms. "Usually it's bad when he's been taken to the lower caves, where Marika likes to torture; I think it's the poor air down there."

"The Gorgorum virus is still in his system," Beka frowned. "The stress of the torture must cause it to activate," she tried not to think too hard about the cause.

"Sounds like the symptoms," Dylan agreed.

"What is that?" Doyle asked.

"He never said anything?" Beka checked and Doyle shook her head. "It's a virus he caught just over a year ago," Beka remembered.

"To Harper it would be four years ago," Dylan remarked, before Beka continued.

"It's a nasty strength sapping virus that takes a while to leave the system, roughly five years and flairs up at times of stress or worry," Beka finished.

"That certainly fits," Doyle realised. "Why didn't he tell me about this?"

"Harper's never been in the business of making sense," Rhade remarked.

"What else hasn't he told me?" Doyle then asked.

Beka frowned. "Maybe he didn't think it was worth mentioning, it doesn't sound like that virus is here in the Seefra system, or maybe he didn't make the connection?" she offered.

"Never changes," Rhade mocked. "Even when one day you claim to hate him, the next day you'll still cover for him."

"What is your problem?" Beka snapped.

"My problem? Is your problem, let the tiny twisted poor excuse even for a kludge go and do us all a favour," Rhade stressed, finishing his drink he then left the bar with anger.

With the stunned silence that follow, Dylan looked at each other the people still sat with him, seeing they were just as shocked by the Nietzscean's outburst. "Well, I guess we know Rhade's feelings on the subject."

"I prefer Nietzschens when they're tall dark and brooding," Beka remarked, with her arms crossed. "Drunk and hysterical just doesn't work for me."

"I want to help Harper, but I'm not sure how," Doyle then offered.

"Stick with us," Beka offered. "Forget what the uber said; if we can find a way to help Harper we will, trust me," she smiled, and gave Doyle some hope.

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

Part 6

Most of the terminals were beyond repair, but Harper persisted in taking them all apart to see if there were any salvageable parts. It had taken him the best part of two days to get to this point, and he knew it could be weeks before he could begin reconstruction. It was quiet without Doyle around, and he missed her calming presence. She always made sure that he ate and slept, but now he just collapsed or snacked and he knew his health was beginning to suffer, as he felt the growing congestion in his lungs.

"Harper," Marika's voice announced her arrival. "I have been working on a couple of things but I can't get any power in this, can you look at it?"

Harper immediately stopped what he was doing and turned to her, taking the device from her and looking at it.

"Sure, looks simple enough," Harper stated as he retrieve his tools, and began to poke around before soldering a couple of points. "So what are you working on?" he then enquired, the unit he held was a power source, which surprised him a little but he didn't show it.

"I found a terminal that was almost in tact," Marika simply answered.

"Want me to look at that too?" Harper offered.

"No, its ok I can handle it, you should concentrate on what you can get from this pile of junk," Marika looked around the devastation.

Harper smirked at her remark. "Marika, this is not a pile of junk, this," he gestured wildly. "Is the beginnings of your new dawn."

"Harper, save me the inspiration sermon," Marika returned unimpressed.

Smirking again, Harper shrugged. "I can do stuff with this junk, you'll see," he assured her.

"I don't doubt that for a minute," Marika smiled back.

"Look, I was thinking," Harper ventured, looking a little awkward now as he tried to appear casual. "It's only the two of us here now, we've both been busy and it gets a little lonely, you know," he hesitated but continued when Marika simply listened. "Would you, if you're not busy, would you like to have dinner tonight, with me? That is if you're not busy," Harper finally finished, and his words sounded nothing like how he had imagined or prepared them to sound.

Marika just stared at him, before she finally responded. "Ok, sure," she shrugged and partly smiled.

"Great!" Harper enthused with a beaming smile. "Say at eight?"

"Sure," Marika agreed, and then turned whilst taking in the junk around her and left the room.

"Great," Harper repeated and then took a deep breath once she had left, looking relieved and excited at the same time.

* * *

Doyle looked around, and took in her surroundings. Beka Valentine looked on, curious as to Doyle's thoughts.

"So this is the Eureka Maru?" Doyle observed. "I feel I know this place already."

"Harper talked about it a lot?" Beka seemed heartened by this.

"No, not really," Doyle stated. "I can't explain but it just feels familiar."

"He must have mentioned it a bit, it was a major part of his life before he ended up in Seefra," Beka returned, a little put out.

"He seemed to avoid talking about his past," Doyle answered, still distracted by the ship and taking in its every detail. They were in the serving area and Beka was growing a little concerned by Doyle's words.

"Tell me what he did say," Beka asked.

Doyle finally focused on Beka, as she took a seat opposite Beka at the counter. "He said he was originally from a hell hole of a planet he called Earth, and that he was rescued by yourself, had a few adventures, found himself on the Andromeda and to cut a long story short, ended up in Seefra alone again."

"That sounds like how Harper would tell it," Beka had to smile.

"I never pushed, I saw how much it hurt him when he was unable to help his friend," Doyle admitted.

"Rommie?" Beka checked.

"I know your feelings about that," Doyle stated. "I don't wish to revisit them."

"My feelings have changed," Beka frowned. "I was wrong to judge Harper, I was just coming from a bad place myself and I took my anger about my own situation out on Harper, I really need to make it up to him."

"Seriously?" Doyle checked. "You no longer believe he's just a petty thief and murderer?"

Beka grimaced. "I really said that didn't I?" she cringed.

Doyle found a smile and nodded her head. "He actually agreed with you, if it makes you feel any better."

"He said that?" Beka asked.

"I told him I saw you, and he defended you," Doyle remembered.

"Harper is his own worst enemy sometimes," Beka sighed. "It's why he's now convinced that Marika is the one, I imagine."

"She'll hurt him, of that I have no doubt," Doyle warned.

"We'll help him, I promise you that," Beka said with conviction. "I swear one more person hurts him and they'll have me to answer to."

"I feel the same way," Doyle agreed. "It drives me crazy to think anyone would want to hurt him."

"But they always do, and I'm always powerless to stop them," Beka frowned. "I don't know why I care so much, but he's like family to me, my soul mate."

"The same," Doyle rapidly agreed. "I never would have believed a few days ago that I would be agreeing with you, or considering that we may be more alike than we realise."

"So why doesn't Harper realise a good thing when he has it, in me and you?" Beka asked with a friendly smile.

"Because we can only give him friendship and loyalty, when he's looking for more," Doyle considered.

"If that 'more' is pain, I really don't want to know," Beka frowned.

"Love, pain, it's all the same really," Doyle remarked.

"Now you're sounding like him," Beka grinned. "But if we're destined to protect Harper from himself, then I accept the job," she decided.

"Harper needs us, and in a strange way we need Harper," Doyle agreed.

"Do I get to kill Marika?" Beka beamed, finding something to like in Doyle as she nodded her head in agreement. "For Harper," Beka declared defiantly.

* * *

Harper looked down at his plate, and saw the food that was cold and only picked at. Opposite he saw the untouched plate, lit by a solitary candle that was nearly burned out. It was nearly eleven and he was all alone, staring at a half eaten plate of cold food.

He felt numb, as he rested his elbows on the table and covered his face with his hands. Rubbing away the threat of emotions, Harper crossed his arms as he leant on the table.

"So, babe, so glad you couldn't come and humiliate me to my face, you're really too kind," Harper now mocked talking to himself, as he took his fourth glass of beer and downed it swiftly. "I just ask for a little compassion, a little leeway and you can't even give me that after I've given you all I have," he slurred.

Harper brought his hand to his face, holding his head. "It's not my fault," he stressed, with his emotions threatening and then abruptly got to his feet with sudden anger. "It's not my fault!" he yelled to the empty room. The silence now hit him, only hearing his breathing as the room fell into darkness, the candle all burnt out with nothing left.

"I love you, Marika," Harper offered and a small laugh escaped. "Love, it's crazy," Harper continued to rant. "Why do I love you?" Harper asked himself and grabbed at his shirt, pulling it off and moving to a half broken mirror so he could look at his back. The red burn marks were slowly fading but still prominent enough for him to see them in low lighting. "Do I love you because you did this to me?"

Staring at his reflection, straining to see his back, Harper appeared to have a revelation. He took a deep breath, and shakily arranged his shirt to put it back on again. "I don't love her," he offered and this time his smile was genuine not mocking. "I don't, what was I thinking?" he chastised himself as he quickly moved to the exit, heading towards her offices where he knew she would be.

His mind was frantic with the realisation that the feelings he'd had for Marika were not real. Seeing his back and the damage she had done, had triggered this response and he was not going to let her get away with messing with his head. On reaching her office and seeing the light was on, he stormed in.

"Just a freaking meal, Marika, not the Earth, I wasn't asking for that much and you know what? You're not worth it!" Harper yelled with fury. "You couldn't even be bothered to make the smallest effort for me after everything I have done for you!"

"Harper?" Marika turned to him with confusion, and then she seemed to remember. "Oh, Harper, the meal," she spoke.

"Don't give me that bullshit that you forgot, you enjoy doing this to me don't you? But save me this crap, if you didn't want to join me you should have said, not play your stupid games because I've had enough!" He raged.

"Harper I lost track of time, and have you been drinking?" Marika asked.

"Have I been drinking?" Harper questioned with mocking tones. "Gee let me think, maybe during the three hours I was waiting for you, I might have had a drink, who knows, the time passed so quickly I lost track to!" he yelled, unable to contain his anger.

"Harper," Marika's voice carried a warning tone. "You need to calm down."

"Don't tell me what to do, don't ever tell me what to do, you don't own me, it's over, you hear me?" Harper stressed only slightly quieter.

"Over? What's over?" Marika asked.

"This, everything, I don't need your crap, or your fascination with torture," Harper stressed. "You think I enjoy this?" Harper demanded and in an act of show he removed his shirt to show her the damage she had done.

Marika used the opportunity, whilst Harper had his back to her to close the distance between them and before Harper could stop her, she touched the skin on his back and he flinched.

"You might not like it, Harper, but I do," Marika responded completely dismissing his rage with her tone, and Harper closed his eyes to her touch. "Your back is like a work of art to me, and you know how much I like it."

"You're sick, you know?" Harper stated, trying to keep control.

"Only in a twisted way," Marika turned him around to face her, and he was immediately caught by her smile, both in attraction and the slight fear it sent through him.

"No," Harper pulled away and quickly tried to arrange his shirt but she closed the gap again. "Please, just leave me the hell alone!" Harper demanded but was now flustered as he tried to put his shirt back on but Marika was too close, and her hands came around him touching the damaged skin on his back and trapping him in her hold. "Get away from me," Harper requested again.

"So you can be mad some place else, what's wrong with being mad to my face?" Marika asked, with a hint of amusement.

"I don't know what I do to attract the psycho's like you but not this time," Harper stressed, and attempted to back away.

"Stay," Marika ordered and as Harper was about to protest she leaned forward and kissed him. The shock slowly wavered and Harper caught up with the developments enough to begin to respond until his senses kicked in and he forced them both apart.

"What was that?" Harper asked, a little breathless.

"Isn't that what you wanted?"

"This is new; you've never kissed me before or shown any desire to, what sick game are you playing now?" Harper asked, but he was still numb from Marika's show of affection.

"No game," Marika offered, and she moved closer still giving Harper all the signs that she wanted him and before he could question her further she was kissing him again. "Is this what you want, or would you prefer to have your moment and storm out cursing my very existence?" Marika asked between gentle kisses.

"Oh, what the hell," Harper dismissed and eagerly returned the passion.

* * *

Beka checked the readings and then turned to Doyle who was stood at the rear of the cockpit reading the console. She observed the concentration, and still found it hard to believe that Doyle was still new to the whole concept of tech and space travel.

"So you sure you're a rookie in space, you seem pretty much at home to me," Beka calmly spoke.

"I don't believe I've travelled in the stars before," Doyle answered. "But it does feel familiar, and just lately my dreams have been consumed with images of what I think is a spaceship, and I'm calling for Dylan."

"Dylan?" Beka found a smile. "You're dreaming of Dylan?"

"Not like that," Doyle was quick to assure her. "I'm not sure what the images represent."

"Maybe it's just your subconscious playing games with you, meeting new people does that," Beka suggested. "Things have certainly changed for you lately."

"Yeah, though for the first time since I lost my memories, I feel closer to the truth, I do believe I will start remembering things soon, I just sense it," Doyle stated.

"Good, that's a good thing," Beka declared. "But I hope it doesn't change things, I enjoy having you around, in some ways I feel like I've known you a lot longer than just a week or so," Beka admitted.

"Thank you, that's good to hear," Doyle offered. "The scans I am picking up suggest the tech police are still active around Marika's base, it suggests that they are fully aware that Marika is in fact still alive."

"They do seem to be building up to something, a lot of troops are gathering, this doesn't bode well," Beka frowned. "Tell me, Doyle, how did you escape the attentions of the Tech police, you must have somehow got past them?"

"I just ran, I guess they didn't see me," Doyle remembered. "And hitched a ride to Seefra One, I did consider taking The Romdoll," she added.

"The Romdoll?" Beka questioned.

"Harper's ship, he never really let her go," Doyle partly smiled. "But I didn't want to take what could be his only means of escape, if he ever needed it."

"Always thinking of Harper's best interests," Beka smiled fondly. "You know the two of us could be certifiable because of that man, right?" she joked, as Doyle studied the fresh readouts she was receiving.

"It looks as though they are going to storm the base again," Doyle concluded. "The pattern of their location points looks like they are preparing for that."

"Times like these I wish the Andromeda was fully powered again," Beka sighed. "We can't do anything here but watch, and personally, I don't want to do that, let's head for the Andromeda and see what supplies we can take, there might be a few hundred nova bombs or something that we could throw at them," she mocked.

"The Andromeda?" Doyle questioned.

"Yeah, big ship, Dylan is captain?" Beka prompted.

"I never thought I'd actually visit, Harper always told me it would be bad for me, and I always imagined that if I ever did he'd be by my side," Doyle returned.

"Harper has issues, but I'm sure he wouldn't mind you being on the Andromeda if its to help him, and it is, those tech police are on his case and we have to try and help him any way we can, hopefully we wont be too late, and hopefully they are more concerned with Marika," Beka sighed.

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

Part 7

The sharp sting of pain woke him with a start, and then the pangs of a hangover headache hit him, as he grimaced and kept his eyes closed. Harper then froze when he felt the presence of someone else hovering over him, as he lay on his back in a bed that didn't feel like his own.

"Morning," Marika spoke softly. "I hope you've calmed down now."

"Marika," Harper could barely manage to say her name as his senses caught up with him, and he slowly opened his eyes. "Did we?" he questioned unsure, his mind hazy and he was met with the sight of Marika above him slowly nodding her head. "What the hell are you doing?" Harper then demanded as he was reminded of the short stab of pain that had awoken him.

Marika's hand was resting on his chest, and her fingers were bloodied. "You wouldn't wake up when I asked, so I had to get your attention, you respond so well to pain."

Harper grabbed her wrist and had the strength to pull it away, as he reached for her other hand and effectively trapped them both. Looking down at his chest he saw the thin line of blood just below his collar bone, and then noted the blade in Marika's hold.

"No way," Harper stressed as he pushed her back and sat up, keeping a hold of her wrists. "Not like this, this has to stop, Marika!"

"You like it!" Marika declared.

"You're the only freak in this room, Marika," Harper returned firmly, and stopped her attempts to free her hands from his hold.

"You want me, you want all of my idiocies as well, Harper and you know full well what they are, so with you staying, and you constantly showing me that you want me is giving me permission to do as I wish, it's called love," Marika half smiled.

Harper was shaking his head. "I don't want this," he stressed. "And you're just abusing the fact I had some stupid crush on you, well no more, I shouldn't have stayed, and I really shouldn't have let you lead me on," he stated.

"Yeah, like that was hard work," Marika mocked, and tried again to free her hands. "You just wanted one thing, Harper, and now you've had it you think you can make demands, you're wrong, and let go of me you're hurting me!" she stressed.

On instinct, Harper let go not wishing to hurt her, and Marika instantly lashed out at him, catching his cheek with the blade and they both froze. Shakily, Harper brought his hand up to his cheek and pulled it away seeing the blood.

"Harper, I didn't mean," Marika began, seemingly in shock.

"Enough," Harper simply said, and looked around before gathering his thoughts enough to retrieve his clothes.

"Harper I didn't, that wasn't supposed to," Marika stumbled, and for the first time Harper sensed she was scared.

"You knew what you were doing, why else did you have a blade by your bed, why else would you wake me up like you did?" Harper stated coldly. "You have a sick habit, Marika and I don't want any part of it anymore, ok?"

"Are you leaving?" Marika meekly asked.

Harper sighed and looked upwards. "I can't leave, I have no where to go," Harper offered finally with a sad frown. "But I won't be coming back here again, and you can forget ever being invited to dinner. From now on I'll stay in my area you stay in yours, and if we have to talk then it's strictly business, ok?" he stated firmly, and left her room.

Marika lay back on her bed, a smile creeping across her face, as she allowed her self a sigh of relief.

* * *

"No!" Doyle screamed and sat up abruptly, taking deep calming breaths.

Beka rushed to Doyle's side and held her arms. "It's ok, it was only a dream, a nightmare, it wasn't real," Beka assured her.

"It feels so real," Doyle tried to explain.

"Was it the same dream?" Beka asked softly.

"Yes, I was calling for Dylan but I was all alone, people were suffering and I was powerless to help," Doyle remembered, her voice shaking as she spoke. "But this time I felt what seemed to be pain, short stabbing motions and blood, all I could see was blood and I saw Harper."

"That's new," Beka realised. For the past three nights now Beka had comforted Doyle on waking from her nightmares, she had done the same many times for Harper but Doyle seemed to be experiencing more vivid images and it was enough to concern Beka.

"He was unconscious, dying, cuts and marks all over him, his clothes ripped to shreds and I could only watch as the blood covered him," Doyle blinked her eyes to try and rid herself of the image. "I wanted to help but I couldn't, I was unable to move and then he was gone."

"Gone?" Beka checked.

"Gone," Doyle confirmed.

"I'm sure it means nothing, you're probably just full of anxiety for Harper right now, and we are going to see Dylan to see if he can help us," Beka assured her, her own fears now rising for their friend, something about the way Doyle spoke made what she had seen so real.

"I need to do something, to forget, can I get you breakfast?" Doyle asked.

"Shouldn't I be offering that?" Beka smiled fondly.

"I'm not hungry and I could use the distraction," Doyle stated, as she moved from her cot.

"Well if you insist and if it makes you feel better," Beka conceded, and watched as Doyle moved to the bathroom to freshen up. "But make sure you do eat something, I don't recall the last time you ate something," Beka called after her before moving back towards the cockpit to check their progress.

* * *

He heard the footsteps before he saw her, and he rolled over so his back would be towards her when she entered.

"Harper?"

"Go away," Harper's muffled voice returned, as he brought the sheets up around himself.

"Why aren't you working?"

"Sick," Harper returned, and sniffed.

Marika paused, and Harper willed her to leave but she instead moved closer and he then felt her hand on his shoulder. "Let me see."

"What, you get some kick out of looking at sick people too?" Harper snapped, just wanting to be left alone.

With more force Marika put enough pressure on Harper's shoulder that he finally conceded, and rolled onto his back. Slightly shivering from fever, Harper looked up at her with watery eyes, his skin clammy and his hair plastered to his face.

"How long have you been like this?"

"Like you care," Harper sniped. "And it's nothing, just a virus I have that comes back every now and again."

"So I shouldn't be concerned?" Marika asked diplomatically.

"No," Harper dismissed, and then flinched as Marika reached out and ran her finger along the healing scar that was now across his cheek caused by their run in the previous day. "Do you mind not admiring your work when I'm sick, please?"

"I am sorry about that, I take no satisfaction from marking your face," Marika sounded genuine enough.

"Please, just leave and save me your concern," Harper dismissed.

"I need you to show me your progress so far, I need to know where we're at," Marika pushed.

"I'm sick, I'll show you when I get better," Harper reminded her.

"It will only take a minute, please?" Marika asked, and Harper realised she wouldn't leave until he had shown her so reluctantly brought the blanket around himself, and got to his feet.

Shakily, he moved and felt the coldness of the air that made the congestion in his lungs wake up, and he found himself coughing and reaching out to steady himself. Marika used the opportunity to take hold of him, and assist him towards his workshop, she was being unusually kind in her actions and Harper was trying not to comment.

"There you go," Harper gestured to the various parts he had salvaged. "My work so far, so go now and I'll get better on my own, in private," he stressed.

Marika was staring at him, but not at his face and he realised the blanket had shifted slightly to reveal the scar that was just below his collar bone on his chest. "Will you freaking give it a rest?" Harper complained and wrapped the blanket around himself some more. "You know you wouldn't even notice the scars if you truly cared about me, and you wouldn't have made me get up to show you this junk, people that care would have just tucked me up in bed and demanded I sleep so just get the hell out of my sight," Harper stated with venom.

"I'm not like any other people you know, and that's why you like me, you like the danger, the lack of care," Marika countered. "You had Doyle to be your mother, you built her for that purpose but you can't control me, and that's why you like me."

"Don't try and tell me what I like and don't like," Harper dismissed. "And for the record, Doyle is nothing like my mother."

"But that was her name right, you told me that once," Marika stated and Harper stopped dead in his tracks and just stared at Marika.

"It wasn't her name," Harper simply answered.

"But it was yours, it's your family name," Marika could see she was touching a raw nerve and enjoyed pushing it further.

"I never told you that," Harper sneered and slowly turned around.

"How else could I know that?" Marika challenged.

Harper considered the question, thinking hard. "Gogol, I bet he told you, right?" Harper moved closer finding strength in his accusations. "When you tortured him to death did he tell you stuff about me?"

"So Doyle is your name," Marika said with joy.

"No, Harper is my name, and don't ever forget it, ok?" Harper stressed.

"Seamus Zelazny Doyle," Marika taunted him now.

"How, how do you know my first names?" Harper demanded with anger, his illness making it impossible to remain calm as Marika continued to press his buttons. "No one knows that, Gogol didn't know, no one knows!" he yelled and let the blanket fall as he moved to Marika with rage in his eyes.

"You mumble in your sleep, and you say the sweetest things when I torture you," Marika stood her ground. "Only five lashes in and you would tell me all sorts of things, just before you passed out each time."

"Not true, I don't sing like a bird for no one," Harper stated, but he couldn't think how else she would know.

"So how do I know?" Marika asked, as if reading his troubled thoughts. Somehow Harper had lost control once again to Marika, and he stood unsteady before her. "You didn't leave me, you continue to stay and you have feelings for me that you keep trying to deny, but most of all you enjoy what I do to you," Marika grabbed hold of Harper's wrists.

"No," Harper denied but he had no strength from the illness to release his hands from her grip. She pressed his forearms together and reached for a piece of rope from one of the work benches and Harper gave up the fight as his feelings of despair over took his illness consumed senses.

"You can't fight me, Harper because you don't want to, you want to be punished you want to feel pain, you've lost so much and you blame yourself, always wondering if you could have done things differently, if you could have fixed that ark ship thing you used to speak of, if you could have saved your friends, so why deny these feelings?" Marika continued to undermine him.

"I don't! It's all lies, stop messing with my head!" Harper snapped with pure rage, and even with his hands now bound together he lashed out at her and caught her across the jaw, and watched in shock as Marika stumbled back and to the floor. "Oh my god," Harper gasped as the reality of his actions quickly kicked in, and he was frozen to the spot. "Never hit a woman," Harper spoke seeing Marika sprawled on the floor, and being reminded of his father's words that now taunted him further. He fell to his knees and bowed his head, finally letting the tears of despair fall. "Never hit a woman," he repeated losing control, wondering how he had sunk so low, Marika's words taunting him further now, as they replayed over and over in his thoughts.

A loud explosion rocked the base and Marika was the first to react, she looked at Harper who remained wracked with guilt on his knees, and she grabbed hold of his bound arms.

"What's going on?" Harper managed between breaths, both illness and emotions rendering him practically useless now, as he let Marika pull him roughly along barely managing to stay upright as she did so.

"You will stay here," Marika stated coldly, as she tied Harper's bound wrists to the workbench leg. "Let them find you first, so I can have more time to escape."

"What, no," Harper flustered. "What's going on?" he started to struggle against his binds, but Marika just smiled.

"The Tech police have returned and I'm sure you'll be more than enough of a distraction to let me escape," Marika grinned and then hurried away, leaving Harper to desperately tug at the restraints around his wrists.

He became so caught up in the panic of trying to free himself that Harper never noticed the figure coming up behind him, grabbing hold of his hair until it was too late, and he passed out from the stress and illness that overtook his body.

* * *

There was a silence between the five people as they slowly walked over the debris and saw the destruction all around them. Beka glanced at Doyle who seemed to be calmer than she would have expected, considering these caves were once her home.

"Dylan, I don't like this turning up after the event, weren't we always better at timing than this?" Beka remarked, needing to break the silence.

"Weren't we once a crew who actually gave a damn?" Rhade asked.

"Who invited him along?" Beka threw back.

"If you two are going to start up again we'll turn around now and we'll go home," Dylan stressed, and heard stifled sniggers from both Trance and Doyle. "Without wishing to sound like my father, can I just ask that you two play nicely so we can determine what happened here? Find any evidence of survivors."

Both Rhade and Beka reluctantly agreed, and soon focused once more on their surroundings.

"Harper's home is this way," Doyle gestured, and began to lead the way.

"We should split up, cover more ground," Dylan suggested. "Doyle, Beka you go check on Harper's quarters, Rhade, Trance with me, we'll check what I assume is Marika's quarters, this way?" Dylan gestured and Doyle just nodded her head to agree and they split into their respective parties.

With caution Beka and Doyle approached Harper's workshop and stepped inside. Immediately, Beka was reminded of her last visit, seeing Rommie and she had to stop herself from saying something, knowing Rommie's remains were now safely stored on the Andromeda, taken from this hell by Dylan during his last visit.

Doyle immediately moved to one of the work benches and she crouched down, touching the leg of the bench.

"What is it?" Beka asked.

"Harper was here, these bindings," Doyle picked then up from the ground. "They were around him, and they kept him tied to this post."

"How can you know that?" Beka asked incredulously.

"This is Harper's blood," Doyle gestured to the red marks on the bindings and a few drops on the floor and post.

"You can't know that," Beka dismissed.

"I know Harper's blood," Doyle remained adamant, and stood up to move across the room to his quarters. "This place has been turned over."

"How can you tell?" Beka questioned. "It looks like the usual mess Harper lives in," she remarked.

"They caught him here, but I don't think he put up much of a fight," Doyle observed the layout of the debris.

"Doyle, quit being all weird and stop jumping to the conclusions," Beka demanded.

"I'm not, I just don't see any weapon discharge or any kind of evidence of a struggle," Doyle remained calm. "Harper must have been tied up over there before they arrived, like he was left there to be found."

"That's some leap you're making," Beka frowned. "So tell me, master detective, where's Harper now?"

"He's not here, and he's been gone a while," Doyle answered without pause.

"Is he," Beka couldn't finish her words, but didn't have to.

"I don't know," Doyle answered.

"At least that's a semi normal response," Beka sighed. "Let's see if the others have found anything."

* * *

For the second time, Harper woke up feeling disorientated but his headache and illness were gone this time. For a moment he lay where he was and gathered his senses before wearily opening his eyes. Immediately squinting to the light, Harper felt the small breeze and felt the natural earth under him. He was outside, and could hear the sound of water nearby.

"What the hell," Harper managed, and pushed himself up onto his elbows, feeling dampness on his back from the ground he'd been lying on. "Marika?" he called out with hope.

His senses wavered slightly, and Harper felt light headed whilst he gathered his wits. The air was pungent with aromas, and possibly toxic he considered, feeling congestion in his lungs still. Trees and thick foliage surrounded him, and he felt weak as he tried to move a little more. With effort he made his way to the rocks and used them to stand upright, immediately feeling nausea and dizziness as he attempted to remain standing. Using the trees he stumbled forward still disorientated as he continued to move. It was all too much and he fell forward, landing on something sharp before drawing his arm close to himself, having felt a stab of pain.

"Damn," Harper snapped in annoyance and used the water from the stream to clean the graze from dirt.

Breathing heavily now, Harper did feel a little more together and continued on his way, making small progress as he tried to remember where he was.

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

Part 8

"Is she dead?" Beka asked.

"No, she's dying though," Trance moved away from the fallen body of Marika, resting against the wall of the cave.

"Why didn't they just finish the job?" Beka complained, looking at the unconscious form of Marika.

"She might know what happened to Harper, we should try to wake her," Doyle suggested.

"Trance?" Dylan prompted, and with reluctance Trance prepared a booster and pressed the injector into Marika's neck.

After a few moments Marika began to stir, and she awoke to find herself surrounded. Wearily she tried to focus, but it was clear she was suffering.

"Where is Harper?" Beka demanded.

Marika simply looked at Beka with slight amusement. "Tech police."

Doyle crouched down. "What did you do to him?" she accused.

"Doyle, you let him down," Marika half smiled.

"What?" Doyle asked, caught out by the accusation.

"He built you to protect him and now he's probably dead because you failed to follow your programming," Marika tiredly revealed.

"Built me?" Doyle checked. "I am not a robot, what are you saying?"

"Not a robot, android," Marika's voice was weak. "He tried to convince me that the best he could do was Gogol," Marika managed and then paused. "But I found out about you, and that's when I learnt not to trust him, I tortured him because of you, because you're not real."

"No," Doyle began to shake her head.

"You already know deep down that I'm right," Marika guessed and her eyes closed. "I left Harper secured to his work bench, the tech police wouldn't have missed him, its over and he's probably dead already, and I'll be joining him very soon," she half smiled.

Doyle stared at Marika as she slumped and then quickly moved away. "It's not true," Doyle denied what she had heard but the others remained silent. "It can't be true!" she stressed turning back to them.

"She's dead," Trance confirmed finally, and they all moved away from Marika to try and gather their thoughts.

"I am not an android," Doyle stated, looking at Beka for some form of confirmation. "Please, tell me Harper wasn't lying to me all this time!"

"Doyle, I'd be lying if I didn't suspect," Beka admitted. "Some of the stuff you say, that you seemingly pull out of thin air, it just reminds me of someone we used to know."

"Rommie," Doyle already knew who Beka was referring to.

"Harper has built a very lifelike android before," Dylan confirmed.

"Then why build me, and not Rommie?" Doyle asked, and then abruptly turned away. "But I am not android, so why am I even considering this!"

Rhade then poured the contents of a bottle into a bowl and put it in front of Doyle. The bowl omitted a gas like cloud and fizzed before her. "Sub zero, if you truly believe you are not an android you will not be tempted to put your hand inside," Rhade declared. "But if you suspect then you should have no problem."

Doyle stared at the bowl for a long time and just when it looked like she would walk away, she swiftly moved her hand and placed it flat down into the bowl, feeling no ill effect. With sudden urgency, Doyle turned and left the room.

"Doyle!" Beka called after her, and then followed leaving Dylan, Rhade and Trance to only frown at each other.

"It does raise the question why did he make her, and not rebuild Rommie?" Rhade remarked finally.

Dylan could find no words, and Trance had no answer as they slowly began to walk back through the caves without word.

* * *

The trees seemed to be thicker with every step and Harper was hopelessly lost now, and his arm was itching like it was on fire. He pulled his sleeve up and saw a small graze that was inflamed, and his skin was now covered in a rash.

"Just great," Harper snapped, and scratched at it without care. His back also itched now, and his whole side felt like it was burning.

"Hey, who's there?"

Harper paused on hearing the voice, feeling a threat close by and he stood his ground ready for a fight even though he was weak with fever and the rash had made him feel irritable.

"Who is there?" the voice repeated.

The threat was getting closer and Harper was starting to panic, knowing he didn't want to be caught again and his thinking became irrational. With deep breaths he decided to fight, and rushed forward, flattening the guy with ease but Harper only had surprise on his side and was soon overpowered by three other guys who easily pinned him to the ground despite his best efforts.

"Another one, man, look at him!"

"Should we leave him here?"

"No, he must be the one Lucas brought back, he fits the description of delusional and panicked, he's short with some weird disc in his neck," the younger one spoke, as he checked Harper.

"He wasn't infected when he escaped, but he's clearly been exposed and for too long and look," the guy he'd originally flattened grabbed Harper's forearm to show the graze. "He's sick already it's not just inhalation or exposure, the stuff's in his blood."

"We need Kalika, she can help him and this man needs help urgently," the eldest of the group decided and no one argued as they tried to help Harper to his feet, but Harper continued to struggling and his mumbled threats were a concern.

"You have to do it, you know it's the illness talking," the youngest one spoke up, looking to the eldest.

"Doesn't make it any easier," the eldest one took a deep breath, and then brought his hand back sharply, catching Harper across the cheek and knocking him out with ease. They then all gathered the fallen man and easily carried him back to camp.

TBC


	9. Chapter 9

Part 9

Beka approached with caution seeing Doyle stood looking out towards the stars on the obs deck and she was a little hesitant about disturbing her.

"Beka," Doyle broke the silence.

"Hey, I heard Dylan found you and persuaded you to come back," Beka offered.

"I needed some time alone," Doyle spoke evenly.

"I was worried, three weeks and we didn't hear anything," Beka frowned.

Doyle turned to her. "I am quite able to look after myself," she stated.

"I know, but friends have rights to worry," Beka partly grinned. "Are you ok? When I couldn't find you after the caves, I just felt awful, you shouldn't have disappeared like that, not after finding out what you did."

"You suspected, right?" Doyle asked, her eyes remaining locked on the stars outside.

"A little, some of the things you did," Beka sighed. "It just reminded me of Rommie, but I never thought, you know when nothing was said, I wouldn't have guessed."

"Am I Rommie?" Doyle asked turning to Beka.

"I don't know, some of what you do reminds me of her but you seem very different in a lot of ways," Beka offered. "I guess we'll never know."

"You think Harper is dead?"

"The renegades have been disbanded and they had no prisoners," Beka looked away from Doyle, and out to the stars. "No one has seen him, there's been nothing, no one knows where he is, we just don't know."

Doyle seemed upset by the news. "Dylan told me the same, I find it hard to believe that in the time I was away he wasn't found," she admitted. "People don't just disappear, not even dead ones," she noted.

"I haven't given up on him," Beka then sounded more positive. "He's a survivor, he'll turn up when you least expect it," she smiled. "At least that's been his forte since I've known him."

Doyle moved away and looked around the observation deck. "All of this, it seems so familiar," she motioned.

"Maybe inside you do have a small piece or essence of Rommie," Beka suggested distantly. "Harper could be an old romantic when he wanted to be, silly fool, sometimes could do the sweetest things out of nothing but nostalgia."

Doyle continued to walk slowly around the deck, taking in the surroundings and sensations of being onboard and missed Beka struggling with her emotions, until she heard a stifled sob.

"Beka?" Doyle checked, and moved to her friend's side.

"Ignore me," Beka dismissed and tried to hide her face from Doyle's prying eyes.

"The not knowing is our true pain," Doyle stated, comforting Beka but not crowding her, it was clear Beka wanted space as she moved away.

"I keep thinking if he's not dead, then why isn't he here? And then I think maybe its not possible, maybe he's hurt or something," Beka stressed and fought with her emotions, as she now paced the deck trying to get control. "Why didn't I do something sooner, why did I let this situation happen? Last time I thought I'd lost Harper I promised myself I'd never let him be taken from me, and now here I am," she exclaimed.

"Beka, this isn't your fault," Doyle took care to point out. "Harper chose to stay with Marika when he had the opportunity to leave, so this is his doing no one elses."

"Harper needs me, Doyle, ever since I took him from Earth," Beka returned. "We're a team, we stick together but I forgot that, we both did and look at us!" Beka frowned. "I don't understand why I said the things that I said, why I acted like I did but I was so mad at him, and I needed to hate him and I needed him to know I was mad at him, but now," Beka looked around with despair. "Now, I don't know what I'm going to do without him," Beka took a deep breath. "Man, listen to me, I sound like he's my reason for living!" she stressed mockingly. "I just feel cheated, and a part of me keeps saying that I had my chance to say what I needed to say, but I chose to push him away instead, and I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive myself if that's the case," Beka turned away from Doyle, clearly upset.

"When I first met you I found it hard to believe that you would even look at Harper without a snarl," Doyle admitted softly. "I couldn't understand how the two of you had been friends, but I see it now," Doyle partly smiled. "I see it all too clearly and I know now," her expression changed to a darker one. "Harper becomes such a part of your life, he burrows himself deep inside of you by being so dependable and so needy. He has it down to a fine art that he almost becomes like an extra limb and so when he does something that goes against everything you believe in, and he knows full well what he is doing, it hurts us more than it could ever hurt him. It hurts more than anything in this universe to then try and remove him from your life."

They both stared at each other for a moment, before Beka spoke up. "I can't ever forgive Harper for what he did to Rommie, and now for what he did to you," Beka admitted coldly. "But I still love him, and I know he is not a bad person, so I don't ever want to harm him or cause him extra pain, he's had enough of that to last at least three lifetimes already," Beka frowned. "I just want to help him, he needs us Doyle because the signs are not good," she sighed. "Harper managed to survive twenty years in a hell hole when he thought the whole universe was against him, when he had nothing, but now," Beka paused. "The evidence of what he's already done in the name of surviving in this system is enough that we should be very worried, we have to help him before he's beyond helping."

"This is exactly what I was saying," Doyle returned. "He has you pitying him, rather than hating him, you want to help him when he has victims in greater need of help. He programmed that into my subconscious but I can not see how he has managed to program you too," Doyle questioned.

"It's not a program, Doyle," Beka snapped. "I don't think Harper does it purposely, it's just the way he is, he's just not like us, and he never can be," Beka sighed. "He is capable of bad things, I'm not denying that, and I want to prevent more victims and that's why I chose to help Harper, because as I said before he is not a bad person but sometimes that fine line is less clear to him," Beka stressed, seeing Doyle struggling to appreciate her words. "He just needs guidance and a voice of reason to stop him getting carried away. Inside of him is a highly trained survivor's instinct, strength we can't begin to imagine, but it only has one place and that's on Earth. I've seen him through some rough times, Doyle, things you couldn't imagine, and each time it has failed to break him. Harper is a natural genius, an amazing person but he has the potential, strength and above all every god damn reason to one day tell this universe where to go and I seriously never want to see that, Harper is not 'that' person but he can be if we don't help him."

Doyle considered Beka's words for a moment. "He could also already be dead."

"He's not dead until I say he's dead," Beka stated firmly.

"Then you have to find him," Doyle spoke. "I'm not sure I can help you."

Beka looked at Doyle closely. "Doyle, I need your help on this, Dylan and the others are too wrapped up in finding power for this thing," she gestured to the ship. "I can't find Harper on my own, look I know you have issues but you must understand that you probably need to find Harper more than I, you have questions no one else but he can answer."

Doyle's stare grew hard. "He lied to me from day one, he made me believe I was human and all the time he knew I wasn't," Doyle stressed, her anger showing. "He built me, programmed me, do you know what it feels like to know that all the thoughts, that I thought were mine, were actually his?"

"Doyle, you've evolved from Harper's programming, you can't think like that, your thoughts are you own," Beka assured her.

"How can you be so sure?" Doyle asked. "I always thought my instinct to protect Harper was my own developed through trust and friendship but to discover that I was simply following a set of instructions he put inside me?" Doyle's anger was clear in her features. "He controlled me, Beka, he used me to protect him, to help him in his ill gotten gains and Marika knew that I wasn't real, she knew and I didn't!"

"Doyle, I," Beka attempted to speak but she couldn't find the words.

"What else didn't I know?" Doyle asked. "What else did he do," she continued with suggestion.

"Harper is many things, Doyle, but he's not," Beka was interrupted again.

"I don't want to even think about this anymore," Doyle stressed. "But I can't promise you, Beka, despite all the love I have for Harper, that still I'm not sure how much is actually genuine, that the next time I see him I won't kill him the first chance I get for what he's done to me."

"Kill?" Beka stood stock still with the revelation. "Doyle, you can't say that."

"He gave me life, the one thing I am grateful to him for, but he gave me the ability to take life, and that is his mistake," Doyle warned.

"Whoa, back up," Beka stressed.

"You described Harper as a petty thief and murderer," Doyle reminded her. "I know exactly how many deaths are on Harper's hands alone in this system but I won't lower myself to his level to tell you the exact figure, but I have helped him cover them up and in some cases I even caused them on his wishes. I would have no problem with giving Harper a dose of his own medicine."

"You won't be able to kill him, Doyle," Beka spoke calmly.

"Because he'd of programmed a failsafe?" Doyle mocked.

"Because he's a friend, Doyle, and maybe you're not remembering the good stuff right now but I'm sure he didn't change all that much, you still love him," Beka stated.

"It's not love I feel, it's bytes of program he put inside me," Doyle returned coldly.

"Those bytes of program are what you are, Doyle, as was Rommie, so it doesn't make you any different to her, and Harper adored and loved Rommie as I'm sure he does you, you know how much it hurt him to lose Rommie," Beka said with care. "Doyle, before we helped overthrow them, what was the main no no in this system?"

Doyle sighed. "Tech."

"So why was Harper so bad and nasty to hide your true self, your android self from them, if he'd have gone around announcing you as his new android would either of you have survived that first day?" Beka challenged.

"No, if he was protecting me then why keep it even from me, why make me believe I'm something I'm not, and why did Marika know?" Doyle returned.

"We won't know until one thing happens," Beka frowned.

"We find Harper, yet it's the last thing I want to do because I don't know how I'll react," Doyle admitted. "Right now I don't know what to think, or if these thoughts are even my own," Doyle moved away still troubled.

"I know what it feels like to be disappointed by Harper, but I will not have you threatening his life should I find him," Beka warned.

Doyle took a moment to look at Beka. "He hasn't programmed you, or dictated how you should feel, so why do you care about him?"

Beka considered the question, knowing she couldn't flippantly dismiss the question Doyle was asking. "This could take some explaining," Beka shrugged, and saw that Doyle was in no hurry. "You know, during the past couple of years I have been struggling to understand my feelings towards Harper."

"You love him?" Doyle asked.

"Yeah, but no, it's complicated," Beka attempted to answer. "A few years ago he was my crew, and that without fail guaranteed that he was important to me, like family I looked out for him," Beka continued. "No one messed with my crew, but he was different, he came from a bad place and we had to learn to live with each other."

"Earth, he told me very little about his home other than brief descriptions of the nightmares," Doyle remembered.

"He was just a kid, at least that's what I thought when I first saw him and Bobby beat him around the Maru," Beka sighed. "But he brought this energy that I can't explain, and I didn't have the heart to dump him at the next drift even though he had a lot to learn, a hell of a lot."

"So you kept him on board out of pity?" Doyle checked.

"Maybe, he deserved a break and he was a good worker," Beka stated. "Those first few months all he could really do was watch and learn, scrub the decks and do all the jobs no one else could be bothered to do," Beka lightly laughed now as she remembered. "He'd complain to high heaven and never shut up, but he did a good job. He was a quick learner and he fitted in, even overcoming a fear of Magog to work alongside one."

"He did tell me that once he got the data port fitted, that he finally became the person he always knew he could be," Doyle remembered now.

"I tried to talk him out of it," Beka frowned. "But it was important to him, and when we lost Vex Pag, we needed Harper to step up a level just to keep the ship running and he did that, and more," Beka stated with some pride in her voice. "That's when I realised I needed to look after him, that he was special and a gift, may sound corny but he gave me hope after I split from Bobby, and after Vex Pag's death he kept things going, where I might have lost everything without him. As much as he depended on me for the ride and board, I started to depend on him to keep me and my ship going."

"He gave Marika hope, kept her vision alive," Doyle idly remarked. "He made me feel special and a part of something good," she added. "But it was all a lie."

"Doyle, you can't compare these things," Beka stated firmly. "When we joined the Andromeda and Harper became more Dylan's crew than my own, I realised Harper meant more to me than I realised, as a person, not as a crew mate, he was my friend and over time I realised he was my soul mate."

"Soul mate?" Doyle questioned.

"Yeah, and he doesn't even know it," Beka had sadness in her expression now. "I've never told him, and he doesn't know how I feel about him."

"Before I knew the truth, I would have said Harper was my soul mate," Doyle considered. "He always had the right words, would always listen to my concerns and problems, and he did anything he could to ensure I was happy."

"Sounds like the Harper he doesn't like people to see too often," Beka smiled fondly. "Harper's softer side; the side that cares and has feelings."

"I used to wonder if the feelings I had for him were romantic, or love," Doyle frowned, knowing now that it was not her own will that prompted those feelings. "I used to consider taking things further, encouraging his come ons but each time I would tell myself no, because I didn't want to ruin what I had with him."

"If Harper was truly a bad person would you have even been able to have that free will or free thought not to respond to him?" Beka now questioned. "If he was badly treating you, wouldn't he have set it up that you wouldn't even have the chance to consider that?"

Doyle looked down for a moment as she considered her response, a small hint that finally Beka's words were getting through. "Right this minute, I can't be sure he didn't and I just don't know," she admitted and saw the flash of frustration in Beka's expression.

"There was this time," Beka quietly spoke. "Lasted quite a few months, when I toyed with the feelings I felt for Harper, wondering if maybe I was missing something between us, something special," Beka avoided Doyle's stare now. "It all started when I accidentally kissed him thinking he was someone else."

"He freaked out, he told me," Doyle offered.

"He told you?" Beka showed her confusion.

"He was drunk one night, feeling sorry for himself," Doyle explained. "Started telling me about this time when he was trapped on the Maru, dead in space, he was injured and you were ill and then you went crazy on him and tried to make out with him," Doyle smiled now.

"I thought you said he hardly mentioned me," Beka now asked.

"He didn't, hardly, but a couple of times he did," Doyle returned.

Beka looked away. "Over the next few months I was just so confused, but we continued to tease each other, and I liked it, but just the tease," she admitted. "I mean I love Harper but it just never felt quite there, I could never take it further beyond the stolen teasing kisses or remarks," she tried to explain. "But then he would get hurt or ill, and things would happen that would make me feel it more than ever before and I could only put it down to love, but not love, and it nearly drove me insane," Beka stressed, then looked at Doyle. "There was this one guy that hurt Harper pretty bad just after I started thinking about Harper in that way, and then he came back into our lives and hurt him again, but even worse."

"Tyrone," Doyle recalled.

"He told you that too?" Beka sounded angry now.

"Not so much, Marika liked to strike him too, he told me about Tyrone and how it seemed he was destined for such treatment," Doyle shrugged.

"Oh no," Beka seemed troubled by the news, she had not considered that when she was told that Marika liked to torture, that she also liked to do Tyrone's speciality. "I swear if one more person hits Seamus, makes him think that ever again, they will pay dearly and I won't be responsible for my actions," Beka snapped.

"That person may be me," Doyle stated.

"Then consider yourself warned because I swear," Beka threatened coldly.

"Do you think Harper feels the same way for you, as you do for him?" Doyle simply responded. "That you would threaten another life to revenge his pain?"

"He doesn't need to, and he doesn't need to know the lengths I'm prepared to go to in order to keep him safe," Beka paced the deck now with controlled fury.

"To keep safe the same guy who tormented your friend, Rommie, and lied to me," Doyle reminded her.

"You may have issues with Harper right now, but don't you dare tell me what I should be thinking or feeling when it comes to him," Beka stressed. "He has saved my life enough times, has been more of a brother to me than my own useless one, that I would kill again in order to make sure he gets the life he deserves."

"Kill again?" Doyle checked.

"You never asked what happened to Tyrone, and I'm not going to tell you, not whilst you still make veiled threats against Harper," Beka made to move but Doyle grabbed her arm, preventing her.

"I fear your loyalty to Harper is clouding your judgement right now, but I am not the enemy here, I am the victim," Doyle stated calmly, and Beka took a deep breath to mentally calm down.

"I'm sorry, and you're right, don't think I don't know that," Beka acknowledged with some consideration. "Harper does this to me, and I can't explain it."

"I can, its love, the kind that never dies," Doyle smiled. "I feel it too, even against my better judgement, if it is mine in the first place."

"You know what you have to do Doyle?" Beka then noted. "Start believing in yourself again. Stop analysing your every move and trust your own thoughts."

"Even if they are not my own?"

"If they are inside your head, they are your own, nothing has changed," Beka moved away from Doyle's grip. "I have some thinking of my own to do now. All of my motivations are pointless if I can't find Harper, and if I have to do it alone I need to get focused and into the right frame of mind."

"Don't put him so high up on a pedestal that you can't touch him," Doyle suggested.

Beka smirked. "Now I know that was your own thought, because I know for a fact Harper wouldn't have advised that, he'd be all for that high pedestal."

Doyle found a laugh, but said nothing as she watched Beka turn and leave, knowing they both had some thinking to do.

TBC


	10. Chapter 10

Part 10

"Can you help him?"

"I need the oil, without it I can only stop him hurting others, or himself."

"They won't give it to us, I have tried many times but they refuse to let it leave the camp, we need to take him to them, or I should kill him now and put him out of his misery."

"He stays here; I'm not moving him and causing him more pain than he's already in. Don't play the hero either, brother, you'd be killing him for revenge, not out of pity," the woman stared at the man, her brother, knowingly. "I won't let you do that, he is strong and he can survive if given the chance."

"I saved him from death," her brother returned.

"So you could punish him yourself, don't think I don't know what you've been doing with that Marika woman, Lucas," his sister responded. "But what did he do that made you so mad that you rescued him from those renegades, so you could hurt him yourself?"

"What I've been doing is none of your business, Kalika," Lucas returned with matching tone.

"It never is until someone gets hurt," Kalika motioned to the figure struggling against restraints, clearly delusional and suffering.

"I was trying to make a better life for us, away from here and those caves that have claimed so many of our family," Lucas stressed.

"Only because it is your turn to go, but you're afraid," Kalika stated.

"Do you blame me?" Lucas returned. "Look at him!" he gestured to the stricken man.

"Do you know his name at least? For three weeks I have only been able to call him stranger, I need a name, at least give me that."

"Harper, Marika called him that I think," Lucas replied.

"And what did Harper do to you? Will you ever tell me?" Kalika asked.

"Marika was mine, I was so close to getting her to agree to allowing me and my family to stay with her, you too," Lucas explained. "But this man distracted her, he led the Tech Police to her caves, his actions over the past couple of years exposed her more and more to their attentions and then he hit her, I saw him do it, Kalika, he struck her and never got the message that she wasn't interested."

"So jealousy, that's a new one for you brother," Kalika spoke without emotion. "And Marika was using you, Lucas, getting you to steal that quartz for her was all she was interested in, and making you believe she'd help you ensured you never got paid, and you didn't did you?"

"No," Lucas reluctantly admitted. "But he slept with her and even that wasn't enough, Marika gave him a home, gave him sanctuary when the rest of the system was too afraid of what he was, with that thing in his neck," Lucas explained. "Still it wasn't enough, and now Marika is dead because of him."

"As is your dream of leaving this planet, and avoiding your fate," Kalika calmly added.

"Sometimes I think you want me to go crazy, to have those disgusting legions and lose my mind," Lucas challenged.

"We need food," Kalika simply said. "Worthy men before you has been able to make the sacrifice so that their family can live, and you have two children now who need to be fed. I should disown you for admitting you had affections for another woman who is not your wife, and not the mother of your children, for trying to find a way out of ensuring your family stay healthy."

"It's not like that, Kalika, I'm trying to find a way that I can stay with my family, I love them," Lucas stressed. "I don't want to end up like him."

"Please, find it in your heart to try and get the oil we need to help this man, if we can save him maybe it will make it easier for me to understand your motivations for avoiding the caves," Kalika stated with a frown. "This man needs our help, and I sense good things for us if we help him."

"Still with the freaky, eh, sister?" Lucas couldn't help but smile. "For you I will travel to the camp again and as many times as you want me to, and plead a case for some of the oil."

"Thank you," Kalika smiled in returned.

"Be careful around him, and don't free him from those restraints, he's in them for his own protection as well as yours," Lucas warned. "The illness has all but claimed him; pretty soon he won't know who he is."

"Then you should hurry," Kalika stated, and watched as her brother left the tent before moving to the stranger's side. "Harper?"

The man stopped for a moment and stared directly at her, a flash of recognition to his name before he tested the restraints once again. Perspiration covered him, and the rash now covered his upper body, spreading quickly to his neck and starting on one side of his face.

Gently, Kalika placed a damp cloth over Harper's bare upper torso to try and alleviate the agitation she knew he must feel from the skin complaint. He continued to struggle, despite near exhaustion. Harper's breathing sounded more laboured, and it was not something she'd normally associate with the illness. She had been starting to wonder if there was more to his suffering, since he had arrived three weeks previously it had seemed to be more than just the illness that was claiming him.

A coughing fit suddenly erupted and it was all she could do to try and help him through it. She looked at his raw and bloodied wrists and ankles, but could do nothing to ease the pain of the restraints around them. The illness was savage, turned normal men into monsters whilst slowly driving them crazy. Harper had stopped talking just a day before, now his lips moved but there was no sound, his eyes rolled constantly, stuck in his own hell.

Kalika lightly brushed back Harper's hair from his face, in some ways she wished him an early death but in others she just wanted him to get better, she wanted to know him, hear his voice and see what kind of man he was without the illness. Her eyes began to water, for three weeks she had only known this man in his suffering, and she was starting to find it painful to consider that he might not last much longer despite her best efforts.

* * *

"So what is it?" Beka asked, as she crossed her arms. The bar around them was lively, for the time of day, as the rest of the crew turned their attention to Dylan.

"Quartz, it's mined on Seefra Eight," Dylan announced. "I'm reliably informed that enough of these rocks could power the Andromeda."

"How much is enough?" Rhade asked with scepticism.

"About fifteen crates give or take," Dylan answered.

"I take it we take?" Rhade smirked knowingly.

"We should go, go now, we need to go to Seefra Eight and get the quartz, no delay," Trance suddenly perked up.

"We will, Trance but once we've got a plan in place and all available resources," Dylan suggested.

"We can't waste time, we need to move quickly," Trance insisted.

"Trance, do you know something?" Beka enquired.

"No," Trance innocently responded.

"You sure?" Rhade picked up on Beka's questioning.

"Just the mention of quartz and Seefra Eight, I felt something, something important, this could be something we need to do to ensure our destiny," Trance admitted. "I think," she added.

"Sorry, I'm busy, as much as I'd love to help you," Beka decided and got to her feet. "I have a lot of jobs on right now, paying jobs."

"Beka, we need the Maru," Dylan reminded her.

"Beka, please," Trance now pleaded, and it got Beka's attention.

With a frustrated sigh, Beka threw her hands up. "Ok, whatever count me in but this is the last time ok? I don't have a lot of spare time as it is, and any I do have I keep searching for Harper, so don't think I'm doing this willingly, ok?"

"Thank you, Beka," Dylan acknowledged. "Any luck with Harper?"

Beka sat back down, and offered a heavy sigh. "Nothing, I can't even find a body, the ex-tech police who are talking claim they never found him where Marika left him."

"So he did get away," Rhade offered.

"The Rom Doll was still docked, where would he have gone?" Beka questioned, sounding despondent.

"The Rom Doll?" Rhade checked.

"His ship, just don't, Rhade, I'm not in the mood," Beka snapped.

"Beka, because you're helping me and because you still believe he's somewhere once we have the quartz I'll help you find Harper, I'm sure I can spare some time," Dylan offered.

"Don't put yourself out," Beka returned.

"I want to help," Dylan reiterated.

Beka could see he was being genuine and offered a brief smile. "Thanks, I need all the help I can get, especially as Doyle refuses," Beka offered in a hushed voice, glancing over to where Doyle was now working the bar, her new found job with Sembler.

"First though we need to get past Cutter and his men, they run the mine that has this stuff," Rhade reminded them all.

"Great, suddenly this mission seems bigger than how you first sold it to us, Dylan," Beka stated.

"I've already discussed with Rhade that we'll go ahead and get employed by Cutter, I just need you two," Dylan gestured to Trance and Beka. "To be ready for when we have the quartz and are looking to leave, Beka on the Maru, Trance on the Andromeda ready to analyse the rocks so we can implement them as a power source."

"Why do I think it could never be that simple?" Beka questioned.

"Because you've been around him too long, he's a bad influence," Rhade remarked with a smirk.

* * *

"You have to do it!"

"I can't."

"You said you would, you said you'd put him out of his misery, he's getting worse and I can't stand to watch him disintegrate any further," Kalika spoke with tears in her eyes. "Those ropes around his wrists, I can't stand to watch as they dig in deeper, knowing I can't do anything and that he isn't even aware of the harm he's doing to himself by his continued struggle to free himself."

Lucas wrapped his arms around his sister and held her tightly, knowing it was his fault she was like this, he had brought Harper to the planet with thoughts of revenge, but it had all blown back in his face since he allowed the man to escape and then ultimately get directly infected by the quartz crystal.

"I'm sorry, but I can't, not now I have seen how much you care about him," Lucas offered and pulled back a little sensing his sister's confusion. "You would never forgive me once you're thinking straight again."

"I keep holding the blanket to his face but I can't press down, as much as I know deep down he would welcome the freedom, I can't do it," Kalika moved away from her brother and looked upwards.

"I will try, one final time to get the oil," Lucas decided. "I can't bear to see you like this."

"Lucas, I'm sorry about all I've said about you and your reluctance to go to the mines, I do understand," Kalika offered. "I don't want you to suffer like Harper; I don't want you to go to the mines."

Lucas offered the briefest of smiles, appreciating her words before he set off towards the main camp once again. Kalika returned to the tent and before her saw the man she had been taking care of now for nearly four weeks. Some days were better than others, but they were all bad and today the fever had returned. She had no idea why he kept getting fever like symptoms, it was bad enough during the days when it was just the rash agitating Harper, but the fever made things a lot worse.

She looked at Harper with care, his shoulder had long since dislocated and no matter how many times she attempted to fix it, it would be dislocated again within hours due to his struggling and she figured he had a recent weakness there. He seemed oblivious to it, she conceded, but her instincts led her to want to make him as comfortable as she could, so once again she set about realigning his shoulder.

Unspoken venom erupted from the man, as she put pressure on the joint the eased the shoulder back. She couldn't look into his eyes when he was like this, it was too painful. Once it was done, she retrieved the cooling cloth and for the third time in thirty minutes she tried to dowse Harper's hot fevered brow and body. The rash was just days, maybe even hours away from covering him and Kalika wanted to go down to the main camp herself and tell them what she thought of their little policy of not sharing the oil, unless they felt it necessary to.

Kalika moved closer to Harper, for the moment he was still whilst his mouth chatted silently, she knew not what about. She stroked his arm offering what little comfort she could whilst he was still, and she wished for just one moment of sanity to allow her to at least introduce herself to Harper, and not for the first time, she tried to imagine what he was really like, before the illness.

* * *

Beka moved through the Maru heading to the pilot's chair. Rhade followed close behind and neither seemed happy.

"So we're picking up a bunch of refugees now?" Beka questioned angrily. "What happened to the original mission?"

"Dylan discovered their suffering, they are being exposed to the quartz and it's killing them, and they're being separated from their families," Rhade explained.

"You know something?" Beka turned to Rhade on reaching the command section of the Maru. "I used to care to, but I got over it. The Maru is in bad shape and in need of repair so I'm not even sure we should be flying in it, let alone a whole community of people Dylan feels sorry for."

"What happened to your heart?" Rhade questioned.

"Maybe it disappeared with Harper," Beka snapped and sat herself down in the pilot's chair.

"Harper, I should have known that somehow you would turn this around to him," Rhade shook his head. "Harper is dead, Beka and the sooner you accept that the sooner you'll realise we're not the enemy and we're just trying to get out of this place!"

"How does shipping a whole load of people, instead of the quartz help to get us out of here?" Beka turned to Rhade questionably.

Rhade stared at Beka before answering. "So I'm supposed to go back to Dylan and say no to his plan, leave those people behind to continue to suffer?"

Beka looked away and then sighed. "Tell him I will land in two hours, have the people ready," she stated without looking back at Rhade.

"Thanks," Rhade acknowledged, and moved away to send the communication to Dylan.

* * *

Kalika brought the cloth around Harper's face, it was almost impossible to keep the infected skin clean but she did what she could to alleviate the pain. His eyes flickered opened and immediately his body tensed against the binds that held him in place, for his own protection.

"It's ok, it's just me," Kalika spoke softly, staring into Harper's eyes for assurance.

Harper struggled against the binds before relaxing slightly. Kalika continued to bath his face with warm water and moved down to his neck and chest before noticing that he was still, and staring back at her.

"Are you ok?" Kalika thought to ask, and was rewarded with a small nod of his head. "You understand me?" she smiled, and saw another nod. "Can you tell me your name?" she pushed, longing to believe this could be a breakthrough.

Instead Harper looked away, his head moved to the side and his breathing quickened slightly. Kalika was about to continue bathing him when she saw his lips move, but unlike the other times, he seemed to be fighting for control. With her hand, Kalika moved Harper's face round to look at her again.

"Tell me your name," Kalika prompted.

"Harper," he gruffly replied, taking a lot of effort. The voice sounded weak and rough, and the words were not well spoken but it was enough for Kalika just to hear his voice.

"My name is Kalika," Kalika offered in return.

"Ka," Harper attempted, before taking a deep breath and trying again, with extreme effort. "Kalika," he managed finally.

Kalika now wore the biggest smile as she spontaneously reached forward and embraced Harper, despite his arms still being secured. "It's nice to meet you, finally," she spoke fondly, as she held him tight. Feeling him struggling, Kalika moved away and in an instant the familiar angered Harper was back, struggling against his restraints and speaking soundless words repeatedly, seemingly lost once more to the maddening disease.

"I will find you the cure, Harper, I promise," Kalika vowed, as she finished bathing him with care.

TBC


	11. Chapter 11

Part 11

Dylan observed the people around him, time was running out and he knew Beka was in no mood to hang around. He was also aware that Cutter, the local thug, could show at any moment to mess up his plans. No one seemed to be in any hurry to leave, and he then noticed Tolek, the woman who had been helping him, in a heated discussion with someone he didn't recognise.

"Lon," Dylan spoke up getting Tolek's brother's attention. "Who is that with your sister?"

"That's Lucas, one of the outsiders who live away from the camp," Lon stopped his work and stood with Dylan. "He's been harassing my sister for a few weeks wanting some of the curing oil, but we don't give it to those who chose to live outside of our community."

"He seems pretty desperate for it, why not share?" Dylan was confused. "We haven't got time to hang around discussing this sort of thing."

"It's not for us to encourage those who chose to live outside the community," Lon answered.

"Well should I ask him to leave? We all need to be moving pretty soon," Dylan suggested.

"Sure, maybe you'll have some luck in getting rid of Lucas where we have so far failed," Lon agreed casually, and Dylan used that as an excuse to walk over to where the discussion was happening.

"Please, Tolek, I would not be here if it wasn't important, my sister wants this man to live, and I want my sister to be happy," Lucas begged.

"Do you want this man to live?" Tolek questioned.

"That's not important," Lucas returned. "Look, just give me enough that my sister can feel she's at least tried to help, this guy is rapidly falling to the disease unlike our people, he's different from us and the illness is consuming him."

Dylan stopped close to them and it was enough of a distraction for Tolek. "Dylan, I was just telling this man to leave," she gestured. "He is soon to join those mining the caves, but you might have saved him that honour, to which I'm sure he'll be grateful to you for."

"What do you mean?" Lucas looked at Dylan unsure.

"We're all leaving, though whether we have time to rally the outsiders I'm not sure," Tolek offered. "Maybe you coming here was fate," she suggested without emotion.

"Leaving, you mean off this planet?" Lucas checked. "You're all going just like that, what about the miners?"

"They are coming too, everyone in this community is preparing to leave," Tolek stated and briefly smiled at Dylan. "Thanks to this man."

"We have a ship landing within the hour, and you are welcome to join us," Dylan stated and saw the look of joy in the man's features that quickly turned into a frown. "My sister won't leave, not whilst the man she is treating is ill."

"I can not give you the oil, I have told you countless times, Lucas," Tolek's patience was wearing thin. "I need to concentrate on the move, and I can't be dealing with this."

"Please, I beg," Lucas tried again. "If you are leaving then why take a cure you will no longer need with you?"

"The man has a point," Dylan stated.

Tolek hesitated and looked at Dylan. "For generations we have kept the oil within the community, and only for those within the community to use."

"You used it on me, and I am not a part of your community," Dylan reminded her.

"You have a special glow, it felt right to use it on you, to save your life and I have been proven right by my decision," Tolek justified.

"How do you know the man Lucas speaks off isn't like me, and in need of saving, he has already said this man is not like you, I can assume he knows nothing of the community, so why deny him a chance to live?" Dylan asked.

"We're wasting time," Tolek fussed now.

"So give me the bottle, and I will send Lucas on his way," Dylan suggested.

"It's not right to give it to an outsider," Tolek complained.

"He has a desire to leave, and if he does will he still be an outsider, if he chooses to join you?" Dylan persisted, seeing Lucas hanging onto his every word with hope.

"You do not know this man, Dylan, there is a reason he is an outsider," Tolek admitted.

"So you deny another man a cure due to your prejudices against this man?" Dylan questioned.

"It's not like that," Tolek was quick to return.

"It's exactly like that, it's why my sister refuses to come and ask for this oil herself, she can't stand the two faced nature of 'the community'," Lucas partially snapped. "Look, you know what, forget it I'll let the man die, I only brought him here to kill him myself so just forget it, let my sister suffer as she's forced to watch the stranger die, if that's what you want."

"It's not what I want," Tolek quietly spoke.

"Then give me the oil, there's nothing stopping me giving it to this man," Dylan spoke calmly.

Tolek moved towards Dylan and put the bottle of oil into the palm of his hand. "I'll continue with the plans here, maybe you should go with Lucas, he'll need help if he's to join us in time," she simply said. "Don't give him the oil, I'm giving it to you to do with what you wish," she stated, having found a way around the problem.

"I understand," Dylan smiled. "Thanks."

"Thanks, you know I love my sister dearly and it's been killing me seeing her so wrapped up in this guys' suffering, your actions mean the world to me, Tolek," Lucas offered sincerely, and then gestured to Dylan to follow him.

* * *

"Do you miss him?"

"Harper?"

"Yeah," Sembler asked as he absently wiped down the bar top. Doyle stood next to him, assisting him in serving the patrons of the bar on Seefra One. "He lost his mind, no other reason I can see."

"I still think about him, and what happened to him but I notice he's not here everyday," Doyle answered.

"So you miss him," Sembler deducted.

"He betrayed me."

"Didn't you say he could have been protecting you? Just as I am now, tech police or not, if these people found out you were not of flesh and blood, we'd have a riot on our hands, they've grown up to fear tech," Sembler whispered.

"Then why do you not fear me, I told you and you didn't seem too freaked out," Doyle asked.

"I guess I wasn't surprised," Sembler shrugged. "Ok, I didn't know Harper all that well, just the few meetings, and a couple of wild nights drinking that we had in the tech underground zones, but I knew him well enough to know that when it came to tech he knew the score," Sembler stressed.

"Seems I was the only one who was surprised," Doyle decided with a frown. "Because that's what he wanted, it was his will."

"Doyle, sweetheart, you have to stop thinking like this, especially if Harper is dead," Sembler advised. "You do not suit mean and nasty, you're too nice and you're the person you are because of you, and because of Harper, because he wanted you to be a nice person and that's not a crime."

"I just wish I knew where he was," Doyle admitted. "I still have this instinct to protect him and that will never leave me."

"Well whatever the motivations were, you gotta love Harper for making you as human as possible, you truly are remarkable, you're special," Sembler stated.

"I am?" Doyle smiled.

"I think you are, and it looks like table two over there would like to get to know you better, special barer of drinks that you are," Sembler teased.

Fully aware of the teasing, Doyle just rolled her eyes and keeping her smile she moved to serve the waiting table.

* * *

Kalika was worried, and she tried to stay strong as she watched Harper through a troubled sleep. His body was tense and pulling against the restraints and there was nothing she could do to alleviate his suffering. She was aware of someone approaching the tent, but was too focused to acknowledge them as they entered, she was feeling that things were beyond help now and her destiny lay with watching this man suffer till his end.

"Kalika!" Lucas exclaimed. "Good news, I finally have the oil!"

Kalika took a moment to register the news, and then on instinct embraced her brother with untold joy. "That's great, but how?" she had to ask before becoming aware of another man entering the tent.

"Oh no," the stranger spoke, his face turned ashen as he looked at the man restrained to the bed.

"We might be able to still save him please it's not too late!" Kalika misinterpreted the stranger's reaction.

"Harper?"

"Dylan, you know this man?" Lucas asked.

"Seamus Harper, he was on my crew, disappeared a few weeks back we thought he was dead," Dylan spoke with shock evident in his voice. "We thought the tech police had killed him, or Marika."

"I brought him here," Lucas admitted. "He became infected by the quartz crystals shortly after arriving, look we don't have time for this; he needs help."

Dylan's communicator beeped and the high guard captain immediately responded, hearing Rhade's voice. "Rhade, the people are moving, go and meet them half way I'll be taking the rear," Dylan simply said.

"Got that, will do," there was a pause. "Are you ok, Dylan? You sound kind of shaken, have they tried to kill you again?" Rhade's voice returned.

"Is Beka with you, within earshot?" Dylan asked.

"No, she's back on the Maru; I'm outside, what's going on?" Rhade sounded concerned now.

"I've found Harper," Dylan announced.

"Crap," Rhade returned on instinct.

"Don't let Beka know, not until we have him on board and we're away from this planet, she doesn't need the distraction," Dylan stressed.

"We'll you have to move captain, because we're not hanging around and I can tell from your life sign that you're far behind the rest of the group," Rhade warned. "Beka won't hang around, and if you don't want me to tell her."

"Ok, we're leaving now," Dylan stated and signed off. "We have no time to administer the oil now, we'll do it once we reach the ship but you have to come now."

"Where?" Kalika asked with surprise.

"Everyone is leaving, a new life away from Cutter and away from the illness," Lucas stressed.

"I can't leave, and Harper can't be moved," Kalika stressed.

"Tough, because I'm not leaving without Harper, there's one stressed female who would kill me the minute she found out," Dylan moved to untie Harper.

"His wife?" Kalika asked.

"Worse, his soul mate, and she's not in the best of moods right now, so give me a break and help me out here, grab what you can and let's go!" Dylan ordered. "I'll make sure personally that anything you need in your new location is supplied to you, but we have to go now!"

"Tie his hands and feet together, trust me," Lucas warned as Dylan freed Harper from his binds. "That illness causes violence and if we're in a hurry, that's the last thing you need."

Knowing there was no time to argue, Dylan did as he was ordered and secured Harper's arms and feet before lifting him up and over his shoulder. He noticed both Lucas and Kalika had failed to collect any belongings, but looked ready to move. "You travel light?" Dylan asked.

"I trust you will look after us, for looking after your friend, everything I care about is already in your arms," Kalika offered.

"My sister gets easily attached, you might need to look out for your friend if he recovers, he might find he's grown an extra limb called Kalika," Lucas teased and Dylan couldn't help but smile, briefly wondering how much truth there was in Lucas's teasing but not having the time to consider it.

"My brother is the joker," Kalika simply responded.

"Then lets go," Dylan encouraged and setting a fast pace, they headed out to the Maru.

TBC


	12. Chapter 12

Part 12

"I'm not waiting, if he's not here in the next minute I'm going," Beka fumed, and already the passengers on board her ship were bugging her.

Rhade moved to her side in the pilot's chair. "Beka, if you do nothing else I would encourage you to wait for Dylan, trust me."

"Trust Dylan you mean, and I swear I'm about here with the trusting Dylan," Beka continued to rant.

Rhade's communicator beeped and it was the sign that Dylan was close. "He's here, so get ready to launch on Dylan's mark," Rhade's voice showed the relief he felt as he hurried back through the Maru, pushing past the refugees and towards the ramp.

By the time Rhade reached the ramp he saw Dylan fire a shot, and then saw Cutter fall down lifeless. Moments later Cutters guards, now unarmed joined them on board the Maru and Dylan closed the doors. "Beka, let's go," Dylan ordered and almost immediately the Maru came to life and lifted from the planet.

"Is he onboard?" Rhade asked.

"I told them to take him to the crew quarters," Dylan swiftly stated, and they began to head there.

"He should be undisturbed there, most of the refugees are located in the storage hold, they wanted to stay together," Rhade responded. "Beka doesn't know, so when are we going to tell her?"

"As soon as we know his condition," Dylan paused. "Rhade he has the illness, and it looks bad," Dylan added with concern.

"Great, so not only have you brought him back but now he could die on us, I'm sure Beka will appreciate that," Rhade fumed.

"I brought him back, removing the doubt, that's what's important right now," Dylan insisted.

"How bad is it?" Rhade asked with a frown.

"Almost all of his skin, from what I could see is infected, his upper body and face," Dylan frowned. "He was unconscious, and I assume he's in the same state as the others."

"He can't talk?" Rhade asked.

"I'm not sure, Lucas mentioned that the illness was taking him faster than they normally see, and I guess that's down to his immune system," Dylan stated before they both stopped, and saw Lucas and Kalika securing Harper to the bunk.

"Is that necessary?" Rhade questioned.

"You saw those infected at the camp, uncontrolled anger, Harper has the same condition," Dylan answered.

"Beka won't like this," Rhade remarked.

Dylan moved forward and retrieved the oil from his pocket, with care he handed it to Kalika who looked ready to cry with joy, her hand covered his hand as she held the bottle. "Thank you, thank you so much for this."

"Just try and make him better," Dylan simply asked.

With a brief nod of her head, and once her brother was satisfied that Harper was secured, she moved to the human's side and poured some of the oil onto her hands, rubbing them together. With care she then placed her hands on Harper's chest, and began applying the oil to the infected skin.

Immediately Harper reacted, still unconscious his body tensed and he was suddenly awake and crying out seemingly in pain. Kalika persisted with her treatment despite Harper's struggles, and she soon managed to spread the oil over his chest and then over his face.

"What about his back, I'm assuming that's as bad?" Rhade asked.

"For the moment we only need concentrate on one area, in this case I have easy access to his chest and face so once he is cured of the anger and illness, we can work on curing the rest of his skin condition, we need to apply enough of the oil to counteract the illness inside, before we focus on the outside elements," Kalika stated.

"I can't watch this," Rhade decided and turned away. "I've never heard of any illness needing you to be oiled up to find a cure," he stressed under his breath. "You sure this is legit?"

"Its how Tolek saved my life," Dylan countered as they both left the quarters.

"Is that what she told you?" Rhade smirked. "Or did she just want you oiled up and in her bed?"

Dylan couldn't help the expression now on his face. "I never questioned it, but I felt better."

"I bet you did, I've seen Tolek, I sure hope I fall ill soon," Rhade teased.

"Rhade, this is serious," Dylan stressed, but knew the Nietzschean was having fun at his expense. "What do we tell Beka?"

"I suggest not opening with 'Harper's alive and being oiled down in the crew quarters by a strange lady obviously smitten by him'," Rhade offered. "It could be worse, you could have offered to oil him down, oh bad image," Rhade grimaced.

"Rhade, I'm starting to think I preferred you when your hair was still short and you hero worshiped me," Dylan observed and moved away, leaving Rhade to stand alone.

"Hey, I didn't cause this," Rhade called after him. "Never forget why I'm like I am now, Captain Hunt, sir!" he mocked saluted, and then smirked. "So what does a guy have to do around here to get some oiled action?"

"Don't make me answer that," Dylan called back.

* * *

Sembler had been observing Doyle for a while; she seemed distracted and kept looking to one side. With care he moved alongside her as she cleaned a table.

"Hey babe, what's up?" Sembler asked.

"I'm not sure," Doyle answered. "I feel as though I should be elsewhere, but I don't know why."

"What do you feel?"

"I have this weird feeling that Harper is close by," Doyle admitted.

"How could you know that?" Sembler asked, naturally looking around.

"I've never felt this feeling before, but it doesn't feel good," Doyle continued. "It's as if he's hurt, or suffering and I should be going to him, to help him."

"You have like some weird sixth sense detector thing maybe?" Sembler suggested.

"He's been hurt before when I've been elsewhere, and I've not felt this," Doyle stated.

"Maybe before you were around him enough not to notice his absence as much as you have lately, so if he is somehow back on the radar, you're extra sensitive to it?" Sembler offered calmly.

Doyle stood stock still. "I think Harper is alive but in need of help, I think you're right, I need to find him."

"Doyle, you still have an hour of your shift left," Sembler reminded her. "And you don't know that I'm right, I am just a humble bar tender after all."

"I'm finding it hard to ignore these feelings," Doyle stated.

"Just finish your shift, please? We're busy, I need you, you're special, remember?" Sembler smiled.

"That special line will only work for a little while longer, Sembler," Doyle answered, but nodded her head to agree to finish her shift, even though she wanted to investigate the feelings she was sensing.

* * *

Dylan simply watched as Beka expertly negotiated the landing on Seefra One. They were safe and the refugees could begin their new life away from the illness that had dogged them for so long, they were free. As Beka removed the harness, Dylan moved forward.

"Beka, we need to talk."

"If this is about my attitude forget it, I'm working for myself now and little favours involving my ship will most definitely be few and far between from now on," Beka pre-empted.

"I appreciate that you're making a life for yourself now but hear me out," Dylan attempted to speak.

"No, Dylan, you hear me out," Beka stood her ground. "I've lost a day's work coming to your rescue and I don't appreciate having complete strangers and their diseases on my ship because you felt sorry for them."

"They are not all complete strangers, Beka," Dylan tried once more to speak.

"Oh don't think Rhade didn't tell me all about your little bit on the side, what do you want to tell me, that you're getting married after two hours of courtship?" Beka mocked.

Dylan grabbed Beka's arms to stop her. "Listen to me," he ordered sternly.

"Ok," Beka felt unsure about his stance, but did as he said.

"I found Harper."

Beka's entire front slipped away as his words sunk in. Slowly she began to breath again, and then attempted to talk.

"Harper?"

"He's on board," Dylan informed her.

"He's on the Maru?" Beka checked, completely shell shocked now.

"He has the disease you didn't want me bringing on board, but I figured like most things you'd let it go for Harper," Dylan half smiled.

"I want to see him," Beka stressed.

Dylan still held her, and prevented her from pushing past him. "He's ill, Beka, and it's not looking good."

"I want to see him," Beka repeated slowly.

"He's not himself, ok?" Dylan checked she understood.

"Ok I get it, he's ill and he's not himself, please, just let me see him for myself," Beka asked. "Just five minutes ago I could only believe he was dead, so I can take ill, ill means still alive, ill means I can see him."

"Just don't get your hopes up," Dylan advised and Beka just nodded her head in understanding, as he finally let her go and walked with her to the crew quarters.

Despite Dylan's warnings, Beka still caught her breath and stopped at the entrance to the crew quarters on seeing Harper. Dylan put a reassuring arm around her shoulders, and walked Beka the rest of the way in. Without word, Beka moved to Harper's side, only briefly acknowledging the other two people with him before focusing on the disease ravage skin that covered her friend.

Tentatively Beka reached out and touched Harper's cheek, tracing a thin scar that she hadn't seen on him before, but didn't seem to be due to the illness. The many legions across his face and chest didn't seem to bother her, as Beka continued to gently stroke her friend's skin with fondness. Despite herself, her eyes began to water and she closed them for a moment to get control back.

"Beka?" Dylan prompted. "Are you ok?"

"Why is he secured?" Beka asked blinking away the tears that threatened, her hands now clasping one of Harper's, as she observed the deep gashed marks around both his wrists where the binds had roughly rubbed his skin.

"To protect him from himself, the illness causes anger and violence," the man to Beka's right spoke up. "My name is Lucas," he offered on seeing Beka's confusion. "My sister Kalika has been looking after your friend for the past few weeks."

"Hi," Kalika offered nervously.

"These ropes are hurting him," Beka pointed out the marks around his wrists caused by the restraints.

"The damage has been done by himself, when he is awake again you will see how powerless we are to stop him," Kalika offered. "His shoulder is damaged too from the struggles and strains he puts upon himself," she offered. "He must have recently been injured there, for it to be weak from the start."

"Doyle would know," Beka absently offered, still clutching Harper's hand. "Will he be ok?"

"It's hard to tell, the oil has already calmed the more sensitive areas of skin, but we truly do not know the true extent of the illness within him yet," Kalika offered. "He has been weakened further by an extra element; he's had difficulty breathing and signs of fever at various times that I can't explain."

Beka closed her eyes and sighed loudly. "The Gogorum virus," she answered softly. "He's suffered with it for some time now, especially at times of stress."

"It has not helped his fight against the illness," Kalika frowned. "There have been times where he has struggled to breath, and all I could do was hold him and calm him," she added.

"Then you probably saved his life a number of times over," Beka briefly smiled. "Stress is what causes the virus to wake up, so if you calmed him then it would have retreated."

"My sister is a natural at knowing what to do in times of need," Lucas proclaimed proudly.

"He's due another treatment," Kalika then announced and reached for the oil bottle. Beka moved aside as the female moved forward and simply watched as she poured the oil into her hands and began to work it into Harper's skin with precision.

"When he gets better he's going to kick himself for not being awake to witness this," Beka remarked.

"This treatment could continue for many weeks for Harper, until the illness is completely cleared," Kalika announced.

"I only got one treatment, I should have stayed down longer," Dylan frowned.

Harper's body suddenly tensed as he became conscious again and like before his reaction was to fight the application to his skin. He strained against the restraints, fighting their hold over him. Fierce expressions and unheard words started coming from his mouth, as he locked angered eyes with Kalika, as if fighting her attempts to save him.

Dylan put a comforting arm around Beka as she watched with some concern, seeing her friend acting nothing short of an animal came as a huge shock. Even after Kalika had finished, Harper continued to struggle and speak continuously to himself, words that only he could hear inside his head. Kalika seemed oblivious to the rage, as she carefully tended to Harper, finishing the application of the oil to the areas she was treating.

Exhausted, Harper relaxed once more and appeared to settle down, as Kalika gently stroked the side of his face in a calming manner. He was taking deep breaths, and it was clear to hear that he had slight congestion in his lungs. Beka looked around the quarters and located the med pack, quickly opening it to take out the injector.

"This will calm the virus, make it easier for him to breathe," Beka offered to Kalika before administering the drug into Harper's system. Over the next few minutes they could hear and see an improvement in Harper's breathing, as he slipped into a deep sleep.

"So what now?" Beka asked.

"My brother and I must find a place to live, to begin our new life," Kalika stated.

"Harper stays here," Beka immediately spoke.

"Harper needs constant care," Kalika returned. "He can not be left alone."

"We can take him to the Andromeda, for the short term Kalika and Lucas can make their home there," Dylan offered.

"The ship is cold, and running at half power, Dylan, you can't expect Harper to recover in those conditions," Beka argued. "He stays on the Maru."

"Then so shall I," Kalika remained defiant.

"I'm not fussed," Lucas offered with a brief wave of his hand.

"Beka?" Dylan prompted for a response.

"She can stay, she's right, Harper needs round the clock care and I can't give him that, not if we want to eat and stay warm," Beka spoke with slight reluctance, and then sighed as she gave it more thought. "Kalika I would love you to stay, you obviously care about Harper's welfare so that's good enough for me," she smiled.

"Thank you," Kalika smiled in return.

Dylan looked at Lucas and gestured to him to follow. "You can have my old place to start your new life, your sister can join you when she has finished her work here," Dylan offered.

Kalika briefly said her goodbyes to her brother, and watched both men leave before turning back to Beka. "You care for Harper too."

"I've known him a long time," Beka answered and moved back to his side. "I've lost count of the times I've feared he was dead."

"He's very strong."

"In some ways, more so than in other ways," Beka half smiled, as she pushed his hair up to a more familiar style. She jumped back on instinct when Harper suddenly jerked his head, and his expression showed anger even though his eyes remained closed.

"Get use to that," Kalika warned. "He's not himself."

Beka took a deep breath and nodded her head, understanding. "Some would say he's not been himself for a while."

"Tell me about him, I only know what I see here," Kalika requested as she sat on the opposite bunk, facing Beka who now sat on the edge of Harper's bunk.

Beka didn't know where to begin, and for a moment she considered her response as she looked at him. "He'll drive you crazy," she simply said with fondness.

"In a good way?" Kalika smiled.

"In every way possible, you don't know what you're getting involved with here, Seamus Harper is a trip and a half, believe me," Beka concluded.

"Seamus?"

"That's his first name, but he rarely uses it, he prefers Harper," Beka answered.

"I prefer Seamus," Kalika returned. "But I will continue to call him Harper, tell me more about him."

"You seem awfully interested in him," Beka seemed amused.

"For weeks he has been a stranger to me, I wasn't entirely sure I had his name right until that moment he spoke it for me," Kalika remembered.

"You've spoken to him, when he's been like this," Beka asked with interest.

"A few days ago he woke up and for the first time he seemed calm and focused and was able to speak, but only with some effort, and he could only manage his name, and repeating mine," Kalika offered. "It's given me hope."

"That's something," Beka agreed and then frowned. "Harper is a natural genius; I fear this disease could rob him of that."

"A genius?" Kalika checked she had heard right. "I now fear the same," she admitted with sadness.

"He could do amazing things with science, and technology," Beka continued.

"That explains why he was with Marika, and why she would chose him over my brother," Kalika absently remarked.

"What do you mean?" Beka was curious now.

"My brother brought Harper with him through anger, he didn't like the fact that Harper and Marika had relations," Kalika said diplomatically.

"You mean she," Beka prompted without speaking.

"My brother claimed they shared a bed," Kalika stated.

"I thought his love for her was puppy, I never considered it was returned," Beka stood up a little troubled by the development. "So your brother saved Harper but his intentions were not heroic?" she checked.

"I'm not sure exactly what happened, Lucas hasn't fully explained but I believe he caught Harper hitting Marika," Kalika remembered.

"He hit her?" Beka couldn't comprehend what was being said.

"My brother was angry, he had some mad fixation with Marika, she led him on to believe she would help him start a new life if he brought her enough quartz," Kalika frowned. "When he saw Harper hurt her, he took his chance to take him before the tech police renegades could, and after landing, somehow Harper escaped, I don't know how and Lucas won't say," Kalika paused as she focused on her hands. "A few days later Harper was brought to me by some locals, they knew Lucas had lost him and by then he was already infected by the quartz crystal."

"Sounds like Harper's luck, he never goes looking for trouble but it always finds him," Beka frowned. "He'll be ok though, right?"

"Hard to say," Kalika admitted. "But the signs are good, already his skin is responding to the oil, before these legions were almost red raw, but now they are losing their harsh colour," she motioned.

"I need to get some supplies, if you need anything raise me on this com unit," Beka threw Kalika a unit. "Anything, just call ok?" she insisted.

"I will, thanks," Kalika acknowledged. "When you return you will need to show me around, especially to a galley so I can prepare some food for Harper, he hasn't eaten today."

"No problem, what sort of food is he eating? I'll pick some more up?" Beka offered.

"Simple basic food, that can be liquefied," Kalika answered. "Depending on how responsive he is, depends on whether he eats willingly or is force," she sighed.

Beka tried not to react to her words, and simply nodded her head in understanding. "I'll be back soon."

TBC


	13. Chapter 13

Thanks for continuing to read!feel free tovisit my new fansite for GMW... woolvettbros com :)

Part 13

Doyle packed away the last of the glasses and simply moved towards the door, signalling the end of her shift. Sembler glanced at Nat, and then back to Doyle.

"Hey, sweetheart, come over here, don't just leave," Sembler requested fondly, and smiled as Doyle did as he asked. "You still feel that Harper is near?"

Doyle hesitated, she really wanted to leave but Sembler had been so kind and understanding, she knew she owed him an answer to his question. "I don't know what I'm feeling, but I know it's connected to Harper," Doyle explained, as she slowly moved closer.

"You think he could be alive, despite everything?" Nat asked.

"I've never been given a reason to think he is dead," Doyle admitted.

Sembler and Nat both seemed to understand her reasoning. "My offer still stands, you know," Sembler stated. "If he's out there, I'll give him my bar."

"You're crazy, Sembler," Nat smiled with amusement.

"I'm serious," Sembler stressed. "There are things I should be doing but this damn place keeps me tied here, I'd welcome the freedom."

"I'm not sure Harper is cut out for bar tending," Doyle offered.

"Everybody at some point in their lives has to tend a bar, so it's Harper's turn, if he is still alive," Sembler decided.

"He is, I just know it," Doyle declared with confidence. "But I'm not sure he'll be up for running a bar, not once I've spoken to him."

"Doyle, don't do anything stupid," Sembler warned. "You love Harper, Harper loves you, don't let something you don't understand ruin what you have."

"He lied to me, made me look a fool," Doyle stressed.

"Doyle, he made you beautiful, intelligent and a joy to know, but I can promise you that he did not make you look a fool," Sembler charmed.

"Everything I knew, and believed in was a lie because of his will, and he didn't even have the guts to tell me the truth, what did he think I would do?" Doyle questioned. "Go running to the tech police, tell everyone I met?"

Nat frowned. "He made you believe you were not an outsider, that you were one of us," she shrugged. "Now you know the truth, he's been proved right to do what he did, now you act all superior and like some sort of authority," she stressed evenly. "Thinking that you have a right to demand explanations, and that you are better than us and demand truths," Nat continued, avoiding Doyle's glare. "People will tire of your whining if you do nothing else."

"I do not think I am different," Doyle argued, continuing to stare at Nat. "And I do not whine," she added and got up to leave. "Neither of you has any idea what Harper is truly capable of," she finished and moved towards the exit only to then be met by the figure of Beka Valentine.

"Doyle," Beka immediately greeted. "I was told I'd find you here, we need to talk."

"You have found Harper," Doyle guessed.

Beka frowned, unsure how Doyle had known that. "Yeah, I'm here to warn you to stay away from him."

"You're telling me to stay away from Harper?" Doyle checked.

"I haven't forgotten what you said," Beka stated. "And now I've found him, I'm not willing to take the chance of you making things worse."

"Worse?" Sembler spoke up, as he got to his feet and moved closer. "Is Harper ok?"

"No, he's sick and he needs complete rest which means no visits, ok?" Beka stated.

"Why have you told us this?" Nat queried. "If you didn't want us to visit, why didn't you just keep quiet about finding him?"

Beka frowned. "Because I know above all else the not knowing what had happened to him was our biggest pain," she looked at Doyle as she spoke. "So he's alive, barely, and he's being looked after so please, just leave it at that."

"I want to see him," Doyle stated.

"No," Beka was firm. "Doyle, you scared me ok, that other day with those threats you made. You're not thinking straight and I don't want Harper on the receiving end of your confusion. Unless you can convince me that Harper pain is not something you're looking for, don't bother showing up, ok?"

Doyle didn't respond, instead she simply watched as Beka made an awkward quiet exit.

"You want to hurt him?" Nat questioned towards Doyle, once Beka had left.

"I want answers, and I want him to suffer like I have," Doyle responded and before anyone had the chance to question her she left the bar, leaving Sembler and Nat to simply look at each other with surprise.

* * *

Beka could barely stand to watch as Kalika fed Harper. Most of the food was covering both Harper and Kalika, as he tried to fight her attempts to feed him. Harper was still secured to the bed with Kalika attempting to hold his head up so he could eat, not that he was interested. It was like watching a moody toddler being fed and Beka couldn't stand to see her friend like this. She stood at the door way, leaning on the frame continuing to watch as her mind went over her encounter with Doyle.

She didn't trust Doyle's intentions, but she did respect that Doyle deserved to know the truth that Harper was alive. She felt torn, in those days before Doyle found out her true self Beka had found what seemed to be a genuine friend in Doyle, but the android distanced herself as soon as she found out that Harper had lied to her, as if she partly blamed Beka and the others simply by association.

It was for both their goods, Harper's and Doyle's, that they not see each other for a while, Beka concluded as she crossed her arms. Doyle would come around, Beka hoped, knowing that it was never good to have an android as an enemy. Doyle's admittance to wishing Harper harm concerned Beka, how had Harper created something that was capable of revenge, to have a dark core that if wronged could justify violence. With a worried frown, she could only imagine Harper's mindset when he made Doyle, but all her previous accusations towards the human paled, as her concern for Harper grew.

Beka then noticed that Harper was eating without complaint now, as Kalika gently held his head up with care. All the fight was gone, and in its place willingness. Beka moved forward and sat on the opposite bunk, amazed by the sudden change.

"He does this," Kalika informed her. "The anger just goes," she smiled, and brought the small bowl that was now empty away from Harper. "Harper?" Kalika then tested.

"Ka," Harper managed with effort. "Kalika," he almost smiled.

"Always gets it on the second attempt," Kalika grinned. The smile Harper nearly achieved was suddenly lost, as Harper seemed to freeze, his eyes wide as he tense up. "This is new," Kalika seemed a little concerned by the change in Harper.

"Maru," Harper spoke gruffly.

"He said Maru, he recognises where he is!" Beka exclaimed with joy.

Without warning Harper suddenly flinched and pulled back, as if trying to hide and pull himself up into the corner of the bunk, but the restraints prevented him. He struggled against them, despite Kalika's best efforts to stop him.

"Harper, stop, you're safe everything is ok," Kalika insisted.

"Danger," Harper stressed with effort and a genuine fear, looking directly at Kalika.

"No, you're safe," Kalika insisted and Beka moved to her side.

"Harper, you're ok, you're home," Beka encouraged but to her horror Harper seemed to become more frightened, and began shaking his head, closing his eyes in complete fear.

Kalika leaned forward and held Harper, despite his struggles. After a moment he relaxed and seemed to respond to the soft mantra Kalika was repeating over and over, as she gently rocked him. Beka could only watch, at a loss as to what had caused Harper to panic.

"Is he ok?" Beka asked after a moment.

"Harper?" Kalika pulled away to see if he was still responsive.

"Danger," Harper still had his eyes closed, and pulled once more at his restraints.

"You're safe," Kalika assured him.

Beka placed a hand on his arm. "We're safe, Harper, I promise."

Slowly he opened his eyes, and for the first time he stared at Beka and looked at her. "Beka," he managed.

"Seamus," Beka smiled, but knew he wasn't able to say too much more until he had recovered from the illness some more. "You need to rest, and get better, ok?"

Harper nodded his head, and Beka glanced at Kalika who now held a hand over her mouth unable to hide her joy at the development. With little encouragement, Harper lay back down and closed his eyes, leaving both Beka and Kalika to stand up and move towards the exit.

"I never thought I'd see the day, at least not this soon," Kalika exclaimed.

"Harper has this ability to surprise and surpass expectations," Beka offered. "Let me fix you some food, you need to look after yourself for a few hours, get some rest," Beka encouraged.

"Thank you," Kalika accepted. "I will take the bunk opposite Harper if that's ok, I won't be able to sleep unless he is near."

"I understand," Beka agreed. "I'm going to be returning to Seefra One tonight, so maybe you'll be able to catch up with your brother?"

"My brother can wait, he knows I am busy," Kalika stated.

"I can take care of Harper for a few hours, you should give yourself a break," Beka encouraged.

"I'd rather stay, if that's ok?" Kalika asked.

"Its ok, sure, but anytime you want a break, you just tell me, ok?" Beka insisted and Kalika nodded her head, but Beka already knew she wouldn't be asking anytime soon and suspected Kalika was more than a little smitten with her patient.

* * *

Doyle looked over to where Dylan and Rhade were sitting drinking their beer. Sembler moved closer and seemed to be reading her mind.

"Go talk to them," Sembler encouraged.

"What would I say?" Doyle asked.

"That you want to know how Harper's doing," Sembler made it sound simple.

Doyle glanced at the floor, as if mentally preparing herself before she moved over to the table where the two men were sitting.

"Doyle," Dylan was quick to acknowledge.

Doyle stood awkwardly for a moment before taking a seat at the table. "Tell me how Harper is doing."

"It's slow progress, but progress nonetheless," Dylan answered.

"He has that illness, from the Quartz?" Doyle checked, and saw both men slowly nod their heads to agree. "I hear that can be damaging."

"We still don't know the full extent if there is any lasting damage," Dylan returned with a frown.

"Good news is that Harper can't talk anymore, always a bright side," Rhade grinned but was met by two stern looking expressions, not appreciating his attempt at lightening the mood.

"He can't talk?" Doyle asked with concern.

"He's not really himself right now," Dylan eased her concerns. "It doesn't mean anything until the illness has passed, only then can we examine the true extent of any lasting damage."

"I want to see him, but Beka," Doyle began.

"She told us what you said," Rhade now spoke up. "Is it true?"

"Why would you care?" Doyle countered. "You never seem overly concerned about Harper's welfare."

"Because I care about Beka and she in turn cares about the kludge, therefore I give a damn when idle threats are made against him that has Beka banning said person threatening from seeing said kludge," Rhade explained.

"You insult him and protect him in the same breath," Doyle remarked.

"But I don't threaten his life, what I do is harmless," Rhade returned.

Dylan cleared his throat to get both of his companion's attentions. "Doyle, whatever your feelings are towards Harper, you have to prove to us that your intentions are good and in no way a danger to Harper."

"I need to see him to know my true intentions," Doyle answered. "Until I am able to look him in the eye, I'm not sure what my reactions to him will be."

"Then Beka's warning stands, and you stay away, Harper doesn't need his life being threatened more so than it already is," Dylan offered, then sighed. "However, I'm hoping that you might be able to help me with something."

"Help you?" Doyle asked.

"I'm hoping that like Rommie before you, that Harper has given you some skills in engineering and science, I need someone on the Andromeda to help me fix her," Dylan offered.

"You mean go with you up there," Doyle gestured upwards.

"Without Harper I'm almost blind to the workings of Andromeda, I'm really hoping that maybe Harper inadvertently gave you the knowledge to help us get by until I hope, he is able to finish the job," Dylan stated with care. "You can interact directly with the core system, I need all the help I can get and it might prove to be the ideal distraction."

"Unless you plan to be a barmaid for the rest of your life, which considering what we now know, could be a long time," Rhade chipped in.

"I will help you," Doyle decided. "Though I still wish to work here, on a part time basis, I need to keep some ties with Seefra, it's my home."

"I understand," Dylan agreed, and considered how complex an android Harper had created this time, Doyle was truly searching for her identity like nothing he had seen before in an artificial life form. Doyle smiled before quickly leaving the table, to share her news with Sembler and Nat.

"Do you know what you're doing?" Rhade asked.

"I don't think we should push Doyle away, she has a fighting spirit that is better working for us than against us," Dylan spoke quietly.

TBC


	14. Chapter 14

Part 14

Beka had woken with a start on hearing the screams, and on jumping from her cot she grabbed the first items of clothing she could find before making her way to the crew quarters. The ship had been on autopilot for a couple of hours, making its way back to Seefra One after a successful shipment pickup, allowing Beka some downtime but that had been disturbed by the commotion she could now hear as she quickened her pace towards the crew quarters.

"Harper?" Beka hurriedly asked, recognising the source of the screams as she entered the bunk area.

Harper was writhing in agony, his body partially twisted as he fought the restraints that dug agonisingly into his wrists and ankles. Kalika was struggling to hold him down, and his face was twisted into pure rage at his situation.

"Crap!" Beka then exclaimed on noticing one of the ropes holding his wrists had snagged on the side of the cot, and slowly it was fraying against the metal of the bunk and becoming weakened. "We need more rope!"

On cue, Harper tugged and the rope snapped, freeing his hand and Beka instinctively pulled Kalika away, as Harper lashed out at her. On failing to hit his target Harper instead focused on easily freeing his other hand, before moving to his feet.

"What do we do?" Kalika asked with fear.

"We let him work this anger out, give him space," Beka considered and moved back as the binds around Harper's ankles loosened. "I don't want to hurt him but I fear we might need to arm ourselves, he's pretty worked up and he's got some nasty moves when it comes to survival."

"He'll more likely hurt himself," Kalika countered.

"We just have to be sensible," Beka returned, slowly backing away as finally Harper freed himself. "He'll only attack us in this state if we are a threat."

"He's not an animal, we need to help him!" Kalika protested.

"He's not himself, so we have to assume he is an animal," Beka argued, keeping hold of Kalika. "I've kept Magog on this ship, so trust me, sometimes you just have to cruel to be kind, and be prepared."

"What the hell is a Magog?" Kalika asked.

"Look at Harper, but imagine more hair," Beka simply answered as Harper relished his new found freedom by first testing the bulkhead's strength, slamming himself into the sides.

"We can't let him do that, he'll hurt himself!" Kalika fussed, and Beka got a tighter grip on her, as she tried to break free.

"Be patient," Beka advised, as Harper showed signs of tiredness after repeatedly throwing his weight at the bulkhead.

Suddenly Harper darted forwards towards them, but Beka just side stepped and allowed Harper to pass. Letting go of Kalika she began to pursue Harper through the Maru. Beka was relatively calm as she followed Harper, even though effectively a mad man was loose on her ship, she knew deep down that Harper couldn't harm it, he wasn't that far gone.

Beka stopped as Harper came to a halt, and she saw he was breathing heavily and looking wide eyed at his surroundings. Finding themselves in the serving area, Beka gave Harper some space, and gestured to Kalika as she joined them to do likewise. Harper seemed panicked, and unsure. There was a slight fear in his posture as he darted his eyes, looking around as if sensing something.

"Da," Harper suddenly spoke, then took a breath and tried again. "Danger," he spoke with a rough sounding voice, lacking any grace or confidence.

"Danger?" Beka repeated, and Harper glared at her.

"Danger," he managed first time, with more focus towards Beka before he glanced around once more with panicked movements.

"Tell me more," Beka spoke calmly, still maintaining a distance between them.

"Ty," Harper's eyes suddenly went wide, and his breathing became shallow. "Tyrone."

"No, Harper," Beka was shaking her head. "Tyrone isn't here, you're safe."

"Tyrone," Harper repeated more frantically, backing away until he made contact with the bulkhead behind him and then jumped. "Danger," he stressed as he became more animated, losing any control he had as he desperately pushed himself away from the bulkhead, and began to shout random noises that sounded nothing like words.

"Harper, no danger, its ok," Kalika stepped forward with Beka.

"Please, stop this, everything's ok, you're safe," Beka supported as Harper despairingly sank to his knees, almost in defeat of sheer panic. Perspiration covered him now, as his chest heaved and the fever was taking hold once more. Beka joined Harper by crouching on the floor in front of him, desperate to make him see that he was just imagining a danger.

Harper reached out and grabbed Beka's forearms in a vice like grip. "Danger!" he stressed thought gritted teeth, his expression maddening as a rage seemed to flow through him. Kalika tried to release the hold Harper had on Beka, but failed and Beka attempted to free herself.

"Harper! You're hurting me," Beka stressed, trying to get through to her friend.

"Danger!" Harper responded desperately, his resolve weakening slightly as he looked around.

"Tyrone isn't here," Beka insisted. "Tyrone is dead; I know this because I killed him!"

"Danger, danger, danger, danger!" Harper repeated endlessly shaking Beka's arms as his panic once again rose.

Beka found enough leverage in her arm, despite Harper's strong grip to instinctively strike Harper across the cheek with the palm of her hand, knowing no other way to get him to stop the insane mantra he was stuck in.

The blow to the cheek stunned Harper enough to shut him up, and for a moment he failed to even take a breath as the sting of the blow registered and Beka instantly regretted her actions. For the first time she saw Harper, her friend, beneath the illness that had taken him and as his eyes moved to meet hers, she almost wanted to cry with regret but managed to hold it back.

"Tyrone can't hurt you now," Beka whispered in the silence, knowing Kalika was simply watching from behind her.

In a blink of an eye, Harper seemed to suddenly gather all his remaining senses and he darted up to a standing position, letting go of Beka as he did so. "Danger," he simply managed one last time before dashing off again.

"I'll follow him," Kalika simply said to a distraught Beka still crouching on the deck, reeling from what she had done and cursing her inability to help Harper. She couldn't understand his insistence to danger, and she knew Tyrone was nowhere near but somehow the Maru was disturbing Harper enough to think he was in danger. His mind warped into associating the Maru with bad times, and she wanted to scream, the Maru was the closest thing Harper had to a real home in Seefra and now his mind was using that against him.

"Beka!" Kalika's voice ran through the ship from what seemed to be engineering. "He's doing something back here, you should take a look!"

Beka took a deep breath and got to her feet, knowing she had to remain strong for Harper. Breaking into a run, she reached engineering in no time to see Harper half inside a conduit, his actions frantic and small sparks exploding around the area where he worked.

"Crap, what the hell is he doing?" Beka stressed, moving forward on the walkway to reach Harper's position. "We're in motion; he shouldn't be messing about in there! That's propulsion in that conduit!"

"What can we do?" Kalika asked.

"I'm not sure, short of dragging his sorry ass out of there," Beka considered. "He could be doing anything, one pull on the wrong wire and we're all toast," Beka feared. "We have to stop him," she stressed and pulled on her gun, releasing it from its holster for the first time since Harper had freed himself from the restraints.

"You can't do that," Kalika warned. "You'll never forgive yourself."

"He's endangering the ship," Beka simply responded, and then checked the settings. "It's on he lowest setting, any hit will simply burn more than seriously wound. It'll buy us time to pull him out and restrain him again."

"Please don't do this," Kalika pleaded.

Beka lifted the weapon and then moved closer, taking her time to prepare herself for what she was about to do. Taking aim, Beka was momentarily knocked off balance as all power suddenly cut out and the ship lurched to a stop, creaking violently in protest as it did so. Falling to the floor, Beka was about to push herself up to follow through with her plan before Harper did more damage, but to her surprise the power quickly returned, only she felt the ship was now stationary in space.

"Harper?" Beka called out, seeing his body still half inside the conduit and it was unmoving. "Harper what the hell have you done to my ship?" Beka asked, hoping her usual fear for her ship would make Harper respond, but when he didn't she gently prodded his leg with the nuzzle of her weapon and still he failed to respond.

Without needing another reason, Beka quickly pulled on Harper's legs dragging him without protest out of the conduit. Limply he fell to the deck, and Beka quickly assessed him, with Kalika soon at her side. A dark ash covered him, electrical feedback from the systems, but his eyes were wide open and his life signs appeared healthy and strong, Beka couldn't understand what was going on until Kalika gestured to his hands, both clutching a piece of machinery.

"No," Harper mumbled. "Danger," he finished tiredly.

Beka took the machinery and examined the eroded nodes on both. "These parts, they regulate the flow of power through the cells, erosion like this can prove fatal if its not caught in time, the whole ship can blow," Beka half whispered as the realisation sank in. "Harper caught it in time, he must have diverted power and caused the ship to emergency stop," she finished.

"We were in danger?" Kalika then realised. "That's what he meant?"

"How did you know?" Beka asked Harper, not use to his quieter and even humble state.

Harper took some breaths before making the effort to answer. "Hear," he gestured vaguely to the side of his head. "Tried," he took a breath. "Warn," a flash of angered frustration showed as finally he completed his sentence. "You."

"You tried to warn us?" Beka repeated, seeing those words had all but exhausted Harper with the effort it had taken him to say them. "Are you ok?" Beka asked.

Harper grimaced, and didn't look comfortable as his hand moved to his shoulder and rubbed it, but he spoke no words.

"His shoulder must still hurt," Kalika guessed, and they saw Harper briefly nod his head.

Beka took a hold of Harper's head, so he was facing her. "You're still in there aren't you, Seamus Harper," Beka beamed. "There's no way you could have fixed this if you weren't." Harper just stared blankly at her, before his head rolled out of her hold and Beka looked at Kalika. "Let's get him back to his bunk, and then I should check our co-ordinates, we should be near Seefra One, or close enough to hitch a tow from a passing ship."

"I think once we are back on Seefra that we should transfer him off this ship," Kalika spoke, her focus entirely on Harper. "He doesn't seem settled here, and I think he should be planet side, it would benefit his recovery for him to feel safe."

"This is his home," Beka argued.

"He spoke this Tyrone guy's name in fear, this place, this ship is not helping, not with his disorientation and also it's not safe, we're lucky he heard that problem with the engines because we were both clueless," Kalika reminded the blonde captain.

Beka considered the facts and hated to find herself agreeing. Harper did not look settled, and she knew the noises and movement of the Maru couldn't be helping him focus, but it still pained her to admit this. "When we get to Seefra One we'll spend a few days planet side, now he's a little stronger he could maybe stay if we can find him a bed," Beka suggested.

"Dylan offered his old home, my brother is currently there and I'm sure he wouldn't mind," Kalika offered.

"Fine, sure," Beka casually agreed, and then moved to help Kalika lift a now sleeping Harper back to his bunk. Deep down she still felt troubled by her actions of striking her friend to try and get his attention, she failed to understand his frustrations and resorted to violence so quickly. Beka's thoughts drifted back to Doyle's intentions, and she took a deep breath. Now she knew Harper was still inside, his natural instincts to fix and repair still there, she felt even worse about what she had done.

* * *

Rhade walked over to where Dylan was sitting with Trance, and he took a seat not even stopping to order his usual beer. Dylan acknowledged him, and Rhade got straight to the point.

"The Maru was due back twelve hours ago, and it hasn't returned," Rhade stated.

"Any communication?" Dylan asked.

"Nothing, they must be out of range of planetary communications," Rhade stated.

"I have not sensed any trouble," Trance offered but quickly shrugged. "But maybe I'm not supposed to, I'm not sure."

Rhade showed a flash of impatience. "Harper is on that ship, and he's not of sound mind, they might need assistance," Rhade hinted.

"Just say you're worried about Beka," Dylan suggested and got to his feet, gesturing to Doyle who immediately walked over. "Can you finish your shift early, we may have trouble," Dylan asked, as Doyle reached him.

"Dylan I have already missed three shifts this week whilst I help you restore power to the Andromeda," Doyle reminded him.

"Can I borrow the Romdoll?" Dylan then asked.

"When we retrieved that from the tech police you assured me it would only be used to escort us to and from the Andromeda, and not for your little side missions," Doyle stated, not pleased. "It's Harper's ship, not mine."

"Did I miss you two getting married?" Rhade mocked, looking confused and received only glares from Dylan and Doyle in return.

"It may be to help Harper, the Maru hasn't returned from its last job, we need to investigate," Dylan then revealed and Doyle noticeably backed down.

"Take it, but don't get it shot up," Doyle warned. "It's hard enough fixing one ship; we don't want to add to the collection."

Dylan looked as innocent as he could, before Doyle walked away returning to her bar duties, and then spotted the grin Rhade was wearing.

"I don't want to hear it," Dylan simply said as he gestured for them all to move.

"You're so married," Rhade continued to tease, as they left the bar.

TBC


	15. Chapter 15

Part 15

It was unusually quiet and it sent a shiver down Beka's spine, as she walked through the ship towards the serving area. They had been stranded in space now for nearly fourteen hours, and she was getting tetchy, remembering the last time she had been stranded on the Maru. Lessons had been learnt, however, and the ship was more than supplied for such an event, Beka would never experience the hell of that time again.

Food had made her quit the command section and seek nourishment but she wasn't expecting to see Harper sitting at the table when she walked in, and she stopped for a moment to check she was seeing clearly.

"Harper?" Beka ventured when he failed to acknowledge her. She walked closer to him, seeing that he was eating soup, and managing it quite well on his own with only a small amount of mess around him. "Where's Kalika?"

With only his eyes and a slight movement of his head, Harper gestured towards the bunk area, and Beka headed over to the door to see for herself. The short walk to the sleeping quarters revealed to her that Kalika was asleep on the bunk opposite the one Harper usually occupied, and Beka wasn't totally surprised, knowing the girl had been close to exhaustion after her non-stop care for Harper.

Returning to Harper, Beka was unsure as to what to see or do, and simply looked at him for a moment. The legions that had once covered his face and body were disappearing quickly, already gone from his face and now only visible on his neck and arms with the shirt he was wearing. He still looked pale, and withdrawn, but a lot better to how he'd been.

Pushing the now empty bowl away, Harper looked at Beka who continued to stare at him, and didn't appear to appreciate the attention.

"Stop."

Beka seemed to jump at the abruptness of Harper's voice, and then realised that she was making him feel uncomfortable. "Sorry, I just wasn't expecting to see you up and about so soon," Beka admitted and Harper only shrugged.

"Better," he offered, his voice sounding rough.

"You've cleaned yourself up and made yourself some food," Beka acknowledged and Harper nodded his head. "Harper, I'm sorry about before, when I hit you."

"Hit?" Harper questioned unsure, his movement and response still making him appear drowsy.

"When I slapped you," Beka prompted but Harper appeared to have no recollection of the incident as he blankly stared at Beka. "You saved the ship, do you remember?" Harper shook his head, and showed sadness in his expression. "Well you did, and you were brilliant," Beka smiled and Harper responded to the praise. "We're stranded for the moment, but help should be along soon."

"Stranded?" Harper suddenly tensed.

"Not like before," Beka was quick to assure him. "I promise, nothing like before."

Harper only seemed to partly relax with her words, and looked around. "Go," Harper them mumbled and got to his feet.

"Go?" Beka questioned, and saw Harper starting to get agitated, his breathing quickened. He was trying to control his actions, as he held his arms tightly around himself and fought what appeared to be a growing anger. "Harper, I'm not going."

Harper was no longer responding as he became consumed with his inner battle, he moved to the corner of the ship and crouched down, using the bulk head for support as he struggled with an increasing desire to lash out, confusion filled his thoughts and he no longer knew who or where he was.

The ship suddenly rocked and Beka was aware that another ship was docking, but her primary concern was for Harper, as she watched him lose control to his illness.

"Harper, come on, fight this, you can, I know you can," Beka stressed, as she moved closer.

Rocking now, Harper hugged himself as he tried to regain control but the overwhelming desire to fight was too strong, and his attention suddenly snapped to the person closest to him. His eyes locked with hers, full of venom and anger and Beka instinctively backed away, somehow knowing she was too close. He sprang to his feet, all control lost to the illness as he lunged for Beka. Thinking on her feet, Beka sidestepped the challenge and then prepared for Harper's next attack, easily deflecting him away but he was persistent and full of rage. Beka couldn't figure out what she had done, or what had triggered this reaction, but she knew she had to help him, not fight him and she grabbed his wrists and he instantly cried out as she gripped the sores made by the ropes that had once contained these sudden rages. Harper fell to his knees and Beka let go of his wrists, afraid that she had hurt him once more.

In the uncertainty, Harper saw his chance and leapt forward catching Beka off guard and they both went tumbling into a stack of containers behind the serving table. Beka regained her senses quickly and even though she was at a disadvantage, she managed to grab hold of Harper's arms and preventing him striking her. Looking into his enraged face, Beka remained calm and matched his attempts to free his hands from her hold.

"Harper!" Beka began to repeat over and over in a sharp but not too loud tone, knowing she had to get his attention and break through the rage he was experiencing. The glassy look in his eyes showed Beka that he was acting more on the illness than self thought, and she maintained a firm control on the situation as slowly she felt Harper begin to weaken, she continued to speak his name and deep down she sensed she was getting through.

"Beka!" A voice sounding like Rhade filled the area, and before Beka could respond she felt Harper's weight being lifted from her, and she saw Rhade roughly get a firmer hold on him. Harper responded by trying to free himself, lashing out as much as Rhade's hold allowed, but the Nietzschean easily contained Harper's rage but he was incensed by the human's continued struggles.

"Rhade don't!" Beka yelled out, seeing Rhade's growing anger but she wasn't quick enough to stop him striking Harper across the face, sending him to the deck in a confused heap. "Rhade, leave him!" Beka protested again and grabbed hold of Rhade's shoulder as he moved to pick the bewildered engineer up by his shirt.

Beka glanced over as Dylan came into view, and assisted Beka in getting Rhade's attention. Without care the Nietzschean dropped Harper back down to the deck, and glared at Beka. "He was attacking you, and I saved you."

"I was in control of the situation!" Beka stressed.

"You are stranded, and I find you pinned to the floor by a man enraged by a mental illness, you were not in control," Rhade declared, his eyes dark as he glanced down at the bloodied heap on the deck.

"Harper is ill, you know that! I was helping him if you could just step out of your overpowering need to be a jerk for just one minute," Beka sneered with anger, and her words caused Rhade to move abruptly away, too angered to respond.

"Tell me what happened," Dylan calmly requested, as they both crouched down to check on Harper.

"He was doing great, had made himself some food, hell he even saved the ship a few hours ago, hence why we're now stranded and not scattered in a thousand pieces across this sorry universe," Beka quickly explained, as she gently tended to the cut lip Harper now sported along with a growing bruise on his cheek. Harper moaned quietly, as Beka moved him onto his back, not quite unconscious but his eyes remained closed.

"He's still with us?" Dylan checked, referring to Harper.

"He's still in there, Dylan, he knew the ship had a fault and he fixed it," Beka enthused. "There's a few dots still to join, but Harper is still with us, we just have to help him, not try to kill him!" she glared at Rhade who paced the deck in the background.

They were suddenly all aware of another presence in the room, as Kalika appeared at the doorway. Immediately spotting Harper lying on the deck, she moved to his side to join Beka and she assessed the bruise and cut lip with concern, looking at Beka.

"A misunderstanding," Beka tried to explain. "Our resident meat head has a hearing problem when it comes to any excuse to beat on Harper."

"He was attacking you!" Rhade stormed, and marched out of the area, clearly not happy.

Dylan frowned at Beka who seemed a little stunned by Rhade's reactions. "Go easy on him, Beka; he thought he was doing the right thing by you."

"By decking Harper?" Beka questioned.

"He was concerned, and he was the one who raised the alarm that you hadn't returned," Dylan stated.

"What happened?" Kalika now asked Beka, who still appeared confused by Dylan's words but Kalika offered a needed distraction.

"Harper was fixing some food, eating it but then he just freaked out," Beka remembered.

"Fixed his own food?" Kalika checked and a smile spread across her face. "He is recovering faster than I expected, I mean to have the stability to know he was hungry, and to then prepare a meal is a very good sign that in a few days he will be clear of this illness."

"A few days, is that all?" Dylan checked, as Harper began to move and Beka assisted the groggy human to a sitting up position.

"Water," Harper mumbled.

"There's some in the cooler," Beka indicated to Kalika who showed willingness to fetch what Harper needed. "We're going to transfer Harper to Seefra, so he can make the rest of his recovery planet side, the Maru is too confined," Beka stated.

"I never thought you'd suggest something like that," Dylan showed his surprise.

"I think it's the Maru that is triggering these violent attacks, something on this ship is messing with his head," Beka sighed. "I want to see if he still has these attacks on Seefra."

"They had him secured on Seefra Eight, like he was when he first came on board," Dylan noted.

"He wasn't recovering then, he was suffering the onset and then the full effects of the illness," Kalika rejoined them and swiftly offered the water to Harper with care. "Now Harper needs focus, and stability to aid his recovery and this ship has too many distractions, possibly too many memories to help him with that."

"Makes sense," Dylan was forced to agree. "There's plenty of room at my old place, your brother is hardly ever there."

"Doyle," Harper then spoke, distracting them all.

"What?" Beka couldn't help her surprised reaction to his words. "No, Harper, you stay with me or Kalika, not Doyle."

The flash of confusion was hard to miss, as Harper spoke again. "Protects," he stated with some effort.

"We have that job now, Harper, Doyle can look after herself," Beka assured him.

Harper showed frustration before Kalika distracted him once more with some water, and Dylan and Beka rose to their feet.

"I'll go calm Rhade down, and attach some bucky cables to the hull, let's take you guys back to Seefra. Will you be able to manage a manual landing once you break the atmosphere?" Dylan asked.

"We have enough power to do that," Beka agreed, and glanced at Kalika. "Look after him, and yell if he, you know," Beka sighed, knowing Harper was still prone to his violent outbursts. Kalika nodded her head, and then assisted Harper to a standing position, and Beka couldn't help but be confident that her friend was in good hands, as Kalika escorted him back to the crew quarters.

* * *

Kalika guided Harper to the bunk, and he chose to sit rather than lie down. He looked shaken and confused as Kalika grabbed a bandage and moved in front of him to begin to clean up the mess the others had made of Harper's face.

"Are you ok?" Kalika asked, as she worked, not expecting a response after so long looking after Harper without any reaction to her care, but he nodded his head making her smile. "I must have been exhausted to sleep through all that, I slept for nearly five hours, I'm sorry I didn't wake when you did."

"Don't," Harper spoke, his voice still struggling to find its normal tone.

"I can't believe you're talking," Kalika grinned, and place her hand on the side of Harper's face to look at him. "I never thought we'd reach this day." Harper's expression changed to offer a brief smile, but she could see the effort it took him to achieve that, and continued to patch him up. "Now you are upright, I can at least begin to treat the skin on your back," Kalika stated and reached for the oil, and moved onto the bunk behind Harper. She reached for the hem of his shirt and felt Harper tense, she then leaned in close to reassure him. "It's ok, I just need to apply the ointment to your back it's the only way to cure this illness."

Harper marginally relaxed as Kalika lifted his shirt up and over his head, but he was clearly uncomfortable as she prepared the oil in her hands, and when she made contact he abruptly stood up and moved away in panic.

"Harper, I've applied this oil before, it's ok," Kalika spoke softly.

Unable to say the words he needed to say Harper instead stood uneasily, staring back at Kalika. In turn, Kalika moved off the bunk and to Harper's side and gently began applying the oil to the skin on Harper's arm, where there was still a feint trace of the legions that had once been sore. "See?" Kalika smiled confidently. "It's soothes the skin, and clears it from this horrible rash."

She felt Harper relaxing now, obviously feeling the benefit of the healing oil as Kalika massaged the oil into his arm and then returned her attentions to his back once more. He tensed immediately and jerked away, putting some distance between them once more.

"Harper," Kalika spoke now with some sadness. "Please, I want to help you get better, and that will only happen once we've cleared your skin on this illness."

"Harper." Harper spun around seeing Beka leaning against the door frame to the crew quarters. "It's ok, and you need to get better, so let Kalika do her work," Beka spoke with authority, but Harper's expression gave away a deeper sadness that Beka seemed to understand, as Kalika looked on. "I know," Beka simply said without saying more, confusing Kalika as well as intriguing her about their friendship. "But Kalika just wants you to get better, and so do I; she's not interested in the other stuff."

"Please, Seamus," Kalika spoke up quickly, and Harper spun around to look at her with confusion, and she knew it was because she had used his first name so she quickly continued. "Your back is sore from the legions, and I want to help you with that."

"Seamus, you don't want me to do it, remember how freaked you were the last time I got too close to weirdness for you, you freaked, so sit back and let this lovely lady oil you up," Beka changed her tact with a smirk, and Kalika found herself becoming more aware of a special friendship between the two that both unnerved and interested her.

With only a little reluctance, and no words Harper returned to the bunk and this time he lay down on this front, resting his head on his crossed arms, hiding his face.

"That's your signal to start," Beka indicated, and Kalika silently thanked Beka, and quickly moved to Harper's side.

Preparing her hands with the oil, she gently began her work hoping that by the time she finished the treatment Harper wouldn't be so tense, and seemingly afraid. As her hands began to sooth the sore skin, Kalika could only wonder about the exchange that had just happened, and now that she could feel the uneven marks across his back hidden before by the illness, she now only desired to make him feel safe in her hands.

* * *

The bar was quieter than usual but there was a familiar hunched figure in his usual spot drowning his sorrows, and Doyle had to discover the reason behind the dark mood she was witnessing.

"Rhade?" Doyle ventured, seeing the Nietzschean glare at her in response. "Are you ok?"

"This place is really beginning to get on my nerves," Rhade stressed, staring into his drink.

"Seefra?"

"Where else?" Rhade snapped, and Doyle backed off a little. Seeing her move away, Rhade softened his expression and relaxed a little. "Doyle, stay, I'm sorry."

"What's happened to make you like this?" Doyle asked, as she wiped down the bar and topped up Rhade's drink.

"Seamus Harper happened, that little kludge should know when to stay dead!" he snapped, and slammed his glass back down on the counter, before looking at Doyle's hard expression and remembering. "I did it again, didn't I?" Rhade conceded and then sighed. "What am I saying? Last I heard you also wanted him dead."

Doyle looked away now, as she considered her response. "I don't want Harper dead," she stated finally.

"But?" Rhade prompted.

"But I do want answers," Doyle spoke softly.

"He's not exactly full of words right now," Rhade frowned.

"I can wait," Doyle simply answered. "So what did Harper do, usually it's his mouth that gets people wound up," she then asked, with a brief smile.

Rhade took a gulp from his glass and looked at Doyle. "He was attacking Beka."

"What?" Doyle was alert now as she stated back at Rhade.

"I thought he was, it looked like he was," Rhade then offered. "When I reached them, Harper had her pinned down, and she didn't look to be in a good position," he stated with anger growing in his tone.

"Don't tell me they were," Doyle began but couldn't finish.

"Harper and Beka?" Rhade checked with a smirk. "No, definitely not but apparently my heroic saving of the day by flooring the kludge to rescue Beka makes me a bad person."

"You hit Harper?"

"Don't you start," Rhade groaned.

"I wasn't, I was just checking I understood right," Doyle explained. "Even if I am programmed to protect that only kicks in when I'm there, and I sense a threat to Harper, after the event I rarely care."

"What?" Rhade now checked. "How can you have an instinct to protect him, but feel nothing for him?"

"Ask him, I didn't program my responses," Doyle offered. "I had over time learned to appreciate and care for Harper, as a friend," she shrugged. "We were close and spent a lot of time together, we looked out for one another but things change, I haven't seen him in a month and have learned to question him, his motives, and my feelings for him are not what they once were, I'm told its all part of my learning curve and that I should not feel bad."

"Whoa, but you can't just dismiss a friendship after one month of absence," Rhade countered.

"Harper lied to me, made me believe a lie and fed me false information for his own selfish needs, don't tell me what I should or shouldn't do," Doyle warned. "I make my own mind up now, and my own decisions."

"I wasn't dictating, just saying," Rhade offered defensively. "Look I don't agree with what Harper did in principle but he had his reasons and no matter how much he annoys me, he deserves the chance to explain, and right now he's in no position to, so don't be so quick to dismiss all he's done for you because you're angry."

"When did you become so wise, between the fourth or fifth bottle?" Doyle spoke cuttingly.

Rhade shook his head, as he stared at Doyle and picked up his bottle to leave. "Doyle, you may think you know it all with that big prosthetic brain, but trust me you still have a lot to learn and right now you are going the right way to ending up alone, and with no one to care for you, is that what you want?"

"I will not be lectured by a man who turns to drink to cure his own problems," Doyle returned, not backing down.

"You are definitely a product of Harper, you know that? Annoying as hell," Rhade snapped, and left the bar.

TBC


	16. Chapter 16

Part 16

Beka had been anxious to return, but her last supply job had kept her away from Seefra for nearly four days and then she had been diverted to the Andromeda because Dylan wanted a ride down to Seefra.

"I'm sure he's fine," Dylan's voice spoke up from behind her, as she concentrated on landing the Maru.

"I just don't like leaving him with strangers," Beka stated.

"Kalika is no longer a stranger, Beka," Dylan returned.

"He doesn't know her, he's been delirious will illness and unconscious for most of the time she's known him," Beka reminded him.

"Beka," Dylan's voice carried a concerned tone. "Before Harper became ill with this virus, he hadn't seen you for nearly three years."

"I know," Beka returned.

"And he had changed, remember?"

"Of course I remember," Beka returned. "But things are different now, Marika is dead and he's no longer a prisoner to this system's law," she added, still focused on landing as the ground approached. "We can help him now."

"He might not see things the same as we do, that's all I'm saying," Dylan advised.

"He's still Harper," Beka stated. "He doesn't forget his friends."

"Beka, his friends for the past three years are now either dead, or want him dead because of choices he made," Dylan frowned as Beka glanced around at him, before she quickly returned focus to landing.

The Maru jolted slightly on landing, and there was silence as Beka shut the engines down. Slowly she released herself from the pilots chair and got to her feet; looking at Dylan she seemed troubled.

"I just want my Harper back," Beka spoke quietly.

"We have to remember that things have changed, Beka," Dylan encouraged. "We only know the half of it, and maybe not even that much. Three years he's lived in this hell, don't expect him to bounce back as quickly as you may hope," Dylan frowned.

"I'm not asking for much, Dylan, just that he remembers our friendship and what we've been through," Beka dismissed as she walked past the captain to leave the ship.

"And all I'm asking is that you remember the facts, and stay focused," Dylan called after her but his expression showed only concern for what he feared might happen knowing how determined Beka was to help Harper, and her need to ease her guilt over words said about him in grief over Rommie, serving only to push him further away.

* * *

Kalika smiled as she approached Harper, who for reasons unknown had decided to sit outside in the sun and admire the landscape of Seefra's desert lands. Seated on a stone wall, he seemed lost to his own thoughts as he gazed at the horizon, but Kalika could sense sadness in his expression as she edged nearer.

"Harper? I have made you some food," Kalika offered the bowl.

"Not hungry," Harper spoke, his voice now returned as he glanced at her. "Thanks," he then added with appreciation to the gesture.

"You should eat, Harper, you need to build up your strength," Kalika sat beside him on the wall, and looked at him with care.

"I'm fine," Harper spoke, his eyes locked once more into the distance.

"Well when you do feel hungry, you'll say, right?" Kalika checked and saw Harper nod his head, but Kalika couldn't help but see that there still remained sadness in the way he was looking out into the distance. "Are you ok?"

Harper seemed to tense slightly before he shrugged and relaxed once more. Glancing at Kalika his expression softened slightly before he spoke. "Marika is dead, right?" Kalika looked away for a moment, taken by surprise with the question. "I remember the tech police, when I woke up earlier that memory was right there in my head," he continued to explain as though still trying to figure it out. "They were supposed to find me and yet I don't remember why they didn't."

"My brother saved you, he took you away before the tech police found you," Kalika informed him, and Harper looked at her with confusion.

"Why? I mean, who is your brother, do I know him?" he checked unsure.

"I don't know if you know him, but he used to work for Marika," Kalika simply explained, not wanting to go into further details as to why her brother had taken him.

"She is dead though, Marika?" Harper then pushed.

"Yes, the tech police killed her," Kalika admitted. "Your friends found her dying, but they couldn't save her."

"My friends?" Harper checked.

"Beka, Dylan?" Kalika offered.

"Ah, yeah," Harper remembered now. "They came back."

"They helped you recover, they got you the oil that has saved your life," Kalika smiled warmly.

"You helped me recover, Kalika," Harper corrected.

"They helped too," she was quick to stress.

Harper only nodded his head before once again staring out into the distance. "I feel like I've been asleep for six months and nothing makes any sense."

"You nearly were, only it was more like three weeks," Kalika smiled.

"Is Doyle around?" Harper then asked.

"You'll have to ask Beka about Doyle, I don't really know," Kalika offered unsure.

"Beka?" Harper checked. "What's happened, where is Doyle?" he began to show concern.

"She's fine, Doyle is fine but Beka knows more, I've been looking after you so I don't know where she is or what's going on, I'm sorry," Kalika quickly offered.

"Don't apologise," Harper stated softly, and with hesitation he moved his arm around Kalika's shoulders, and brought her close. "Thanks for looking after me, I mean, I know I must have been a real pain to look after, so thanks."

Kalika couldn't believe the gesture Harper had offered and felt joy inside at his show of affection towards her, even if it was a little awkward on his part, she was thrilled that he'd even thought to make it. "It's ok, Harper, I've enjoyed seeing the results of your recovery, you were worth every minute, just seeing you like this talking and moving freely again, you don't know what it means to me."

"Harper," Beka's voice sounded for a short distance away and Harper quickly removed his arm from around Kalika and seemed suddenly on edge, as he watched Beka and Dylan approach. "Hey, you're out of bed and looking a lot better," Beka enthused once she had reached them.

"Good to see you up and about, Harper," Dylan agreed.

Kalika absently squeezed Harper's hand in encouragement, knowing that his friend's sudden intrusion had unsettled him a little.

"Hey," Harper could only manage in return.

"So how are you feeling?" Beka fussed, and seemed to be taking in every last detail of her friend's recovery and Kalika couldn't help the feelings of protectiveness now, knowing Harper wasn't feeling comfortable.

"Fine," Harper shrugged.

"Still on the one word vocabulary?" Beka frowned, and seemed disappointed.

Harper glanced at Kalika who could only show concern, not understanding why Harper was being like this in the presence of his friends who had helped him so much.

"Harper is tired, we were just about to return to the house when you showed up," Kalika offered and jumped down from the wall.

"We'll walk back with you," Beka smiled and helped Harper down from the wall, even though he didn't need the assistance.

Kalika squeezed his hand again, wishing she could do more to ease Harper's concerns, and wishing she understood them. They walked towards the house in silence until Harper stopped and looked around, before looking at Beka.

"Where's Doyle?"

"What?" Beka was caught by the question and the demanding tone Harper had asked it in.

"Where's Doyle, she should be here with me," Harper stated more clearly and his words had obviously surprised both Beka and Dylan who hadn't realised he was fully capable of speaking again.

"Harper, maybe now is not the time," Kalika encouraged.

"No, I want to know!" Harper snapped.

"Harper, please," Kalika gripped his hand hoping he'd calm down.

"I just want to know about my friend," Harper stressed.

Beka took a deep breath, and then looked at Harper with care. "She knows, Harper."

"Knows?" Harper checked.

"She knows what she is," Dylan answered.

"Which one of you told her?" Harper accused, backing away slightly showing anger to the news. "She wasn't supposed to find out, she wasn't supposed to know!"

Both Dylan and Beka looked away, unsure of what to say in the face of Harper's anger knowing he was still recovering, and still slightly surprised that he was able to talk again.

"Is that why she isn't here?" Harper asked.

"She's upset," Dylan simply said, without further explanation.

Harper began shaking his head, as the news truly hit him and he turned away with his emotions threatening. "I can't lose her too, I can't," he stressed, his back now to his friends.

"I think you should come back later, when he's had some rest," Kalika suggested towards Beka and Dylan.

"I want to stay," Beka spoke, and it wasn't a request.

"Please, he needs to rest," Kalika insisted, with concern for Harper.

"He needs his friends around him," Beka argued.

"Beka," Dylan put an arm on Beka's shoulder. "Maybe we should come back when things have settled."

"No!" Beka snapped. "I want to stay, Harper needs me."

Harper spun around on hearing Beka's words, his face a crumpled mess of emotions as he lashed out. "Just get the hell away from here, just go!" he yelled before pushing past Beka and returning to the house.

Kalika wanted to run after him, and knew Beka did too but instead they both just stood staring at each other.

"What the hell is going on here?" Beka then asked, with her voice low and accusing as she stared at Kalika.

"He's confused and his memories are still only returning in messed up bits and pieces, so he's struggling to make sense of them," Kalika offered as an explanation. "He's figured out that Marika is dead but he can't understand why Doyle isn't here."

"Why is he blaming me?" Beka returned.

"I don't know, all I know is that he's confused," Kalika stressed.

"Beka, we have to give him time," Dylan supported.

"He should be turning to me, I've helped him in the past so why is he pushing me away now, and why does he think I've done something to hurt him?" Beka was confused now.

"He never said that; he's just confused and you're here and Doyle and Marika aren't," Dylan explained and placed his hands on Beka's shoulders. "Let's give him time to calm down, to rest and then we'll come back to sort this out."

"I don't want to leave him like this," Beka felt lost as Dylan encouraged her to move.

"Kalika will take care of him, and let us know when we can come back, when Harper is ready to see us," Dylan stated looking at Kalika who nodded in return.

Beka threw Kalika an accusing glance before Dylan finally managed to move her away, and they began to walk back into town. Kalika took a deep breath and looked upwards before walking into the house, finding Harper was curled up by the far wall lost to his emotions.

"Hey," Kalika was quickly by his side and she wrapped her arms around him. "It's ok, they've gone, it's ok," she soothed him, but he was completely lost now to the tears that fell. "Come on, calm down, and stop this, you're scaring me, Seamus."

"She's dead," Harper managed between the sobs that wracked his body.

"Who?"

"Marika," he stressed. "She's dead," he sniffed.

"You really loved her, didn't you?" Kalika asked, as she brushed her hand down the side of Harper's face to encourage him to snap out of his uncontrolled emotions.

"I think so," he blurted, managing to gain some control, as the sobs subsided. Harper moved so he was sitting against the wall and Kalika remained holding him close. "I can't believe she's dead, she was so strong, so," he couldn't find the words as he wiped his eyes on his sleeves.

"Harper, your tired and confused, your emotions are all over the place, I really think you should get some sleep," Kalika suggested fondly, as her fingers found a stray tear and wiped it from Harper's cheek.

"Call me Seamus, please?" Harper almost pleaded, with his voice shaky.

"Are you sure?"

Harper nodded his head enthusiastically. "You're the only thing that's making sense to me right now, helping me."

"There's a few people helping you, Seamus, I'm only one of them," Kalika smiled warmly, but moved away when Harper tried to move forward to hug her. "I think you should rest now," she stated firmly, not wishing to encourage anything in his confused state.

Harper complied with her wishes and let her lead him to his bunk, and to Kalika's relief he quickly settled down to sleep. With care Kalika cleaned his face and ensured he was comfortable before leaving him to fall into a deep and much needed sleep.

TBC


	17. Chapter 17

Part 17

Dylan brought the new round of drinks over to the table, and put them down. It had been a good few hours since they'd seen Harper but still Beka's thoughts were caught up in what had been said. Rhade, who had been filled in regarding what had happened and had easily dismissed it, wasted no time in picking up his glass and taking a gulp. Sitting down, Dylan glanced over to where Doyle was working and he turned to Beka.

"How much does Doyle know about Harper?"

Rhade glanced over to the android. "She knows Harper has been ill, and that he's currently recovering 'somewhere'."

"How did she react?"

Rhade appeared dismissive. "Slightly interested I guess, but far too consumed by her own issues."

"Does she still want to hurt him?" Beka asked, staring at her drink.

"Hard to say," Rhade shrugged. "I wouldn't advise letting her see him alone unless that is I'm in a vindictive mood, then I'd encourage it."

Beka glared at Rhade. "What is your problem?"

"My problem?" Rhade checked. "I'm tired of this place, I want out but all our energies seem to be being wasted on that poor excuse for a human!"

Dylan put a hand of Beka's arm to prevent her saying anything. "Rhade, have you even considered that we might need Harper's expertise to get us out of here?"

"He's crazy, Dylan, his mind isn't what it once was and have you forgotten how he fixed Rommie?" Rhade snapped. "I don't want to end up in a box because he presses the wrong button, but with good intentions," he growled.

"And exactly what are you doing to get us out of here, how can you help power up Andromeda?" Beka asked. "We can't even see if the alcohol might fuel the ship because you've drunk it all!"

"Ok, ok, time out guys," Dylan gestured. "Whether you like it or not, we're a crew and we don't leave anyone behind, so we will continue to help Harper as much as he wants our help."

"And there lies another problem, he's beyond help and I don't think he even wants us helping him," Rhade stressed.

"He's just confused, that illness is still inside him," Beka stated.

"He didn't want to know us when he was well, remember he chose to stay with Marika," Rhade returned.

"All we can do for Harper now is give him the time and space he needs to sort his feelings out," Dylan suggested. "So in the meantime we should work towards finding a way out of here, so let's start digging around for anything that might help us."

"I could use the distraction," Beka agreed and Rhade simply nodded his head. "But I need to just check in on Harper, before I go, even if it's just to tell Kalika I'll be gone for a few days."

"Beka, it would be best to just let them be, and let things settle," Dylan suggested.

"I won't even see Harper, I'll just see Kalika," Beka insisted. "I get the whole needing space thing, but I don't want them to think I've avoiding them, I need them to know I'm here, but I'll be away for a short time."

"You have half an hour and then I want you on the Maru and ready to go," Dylan ordered, and Beka nodded her head to agree, before rushing off.

"She can't let go, can she?" Rhade remarked.

"Harper has always meant a lot to her," Dylan returned as they moved towards the exit. "I'd like to think he's the same guy, and that the virus hasn't done any damage but I do fear the worse, and fact remains Beka will always be there for him."

"Do you think it's mutual?"

"Harper has always cared for Beka just the same," Dylan argued.

"I'm not so sure," Rhade answered. "We thought he cared for Rommie and looked what he did there, we thought he cared for Doyle, likewise there, Dylan, Harper only cares for himself."

"Then I'm surprised you two don't get along better," Dylan simply stated as he pushed through the doors.

"Hey!" Rhade exclaimed before quickly following the captain.

* * *

Kalika smiled as Harper walked towards her, the Seefra sun had not quite reached its highest point making it pleasant to be outside. He looked relaxed and rested, as he quietly observed her work on fixing some food for later.

"Good sleep?" Kalika asked.

"Yeah, feeling a lot more together," Harper admitted, with a slight smirk. "I kind of flew off the handle a little bit before, didn't I?" he frowned.

"You need to give yourself some time to work out your memories and feelings, don't be so hard on yourself," Kalika simply returned, focused on her work. "You've also suffered a loss, and one that was close to you."

"Marika hated me," Harper offered, and moved to sit down on a rock close to where Kalika stood. "She hurt me, tortured me, made me feel like a kid that depended on her," he sighed, and took a deep breath. "And still I couldn't help the attraction to her."

Kalika stopped for a moment and looked at Harper with care. "How did you meet her?"

Harper frowned, and took a moment before answering. "I was about to be killed," he began, and it was clear he was troubled by the memories.

"You don't have to say, if it's too hard," Kalika quickly offered.

"No, no, it's fine," Harper dismissed almost immediately, before continuing. "I was on this ship that was literally breaking apart, called the Arkology," Harper explained. "We were overrun, and by we I mean Dylan, Beka, Rhade, Trance, you know when we were a crew on this big star ship, the Andromeda."

"I see," Kalika simply answered, having been unsure of Harper's connection to the others before now.

"Things were bad, Rommie was dead and at that time I thought Beka had been killed, and I had no idea about the others," Harper remembered, and his face carried a mix of sadness and confusion. "This thing, a Magog, had me pinned and he told me I was the last one, the lone survivor and he brought his clawed hand down on me, and I remember the pain and I screamed," Harper stressed, lost now to his memories. "I thought that was it, but in a blink of an eye I was someplace else, I had felt a shift like my whole body was being ripped apart and I honestly thought I was dead."

"That must have been terrible," Kalika moved to his side and sat on the rock beside him, taking his hand into hers as he continued.

"Then I was in these caves, alone and I had no idea what I was supposed to do thinking that this was the afterlife but I still felt pain, my shirt was ripped and bloodied, my wounds on my shoulder still bled," Harper shrugged. "And then I must have passed out because my next memory is much later, once the wounds had already healed but I was still in the caves, only on a cot and in an area obviously lived in and there was this woman, Marika."

"She nursed you back to health?" Kalika checked.

"I guess," Harper shrugged. "She was kind, caring and she wanted me to get better, and be a part of her life," he explained with a small smile. "Once she had convinced me I wasn't dead, and that this wasn't heaven I realised I owed her my life, and my feelings for her grew."

"But they were never returned?" Kalika asked.

"At first I think she was a little curious, and she seemed interested but then she realised that I was a lot more use to her as a scientist and that's when things started going weird," Harper remembered, and he lost the slight smile he had been wearing as he remembered the good times. "Her demands became more demanding, and she started to punish me for things I didn't always do. She had this need to keep putting me in my place, like I'd gone too far but all I wanted was for her to trust me, to go back to what we first had, for her not to feel threatened or fear me."

"You think that's why she hurt you?"

"I think she thought that's what I wanted, when I kept trying to tell her different, that all I wanted was to love her," Harper stood up and moved a short distance away. "But she's dead now, because of me and I should just forget about her."

"Seamus, she's dead because of her own making, it wasn't your fault," Kalika argued, as she moved to Harper's side once again.

"I brought her plans, her ideas and her wishes to life, before I came along she was never going to see a reality for her plan, she didn't have the know how," Harper stared ahead, avoiding the concerned look from Kalika. "I did what I did to prove my love to her, I had this crazy notion it would bring us together but it kept pushing us apart," Harper frowned. "I see that now and because I pushed too much, I was too eager for her attention and they found us, things happened and it is my fault and don't tell me it's not!" Harper snapped, pre-empting Kalika's words.

"Seamus, you were a tool to Marika's will, your biggest crime is being blinded by love," Kalika spoke softly. "If she could hurt and humiliate you, and you still felt the need to be with her, to prove yourself to her then that's not a crime."

Harper took a deep breath and turned to Kalika, taking her hand into his and staring intently, as his fingers intertwined with hers. "I loved her," he simply said before his emotions threatened.

Kalika wasted no time in bringing Harper close to her and holding him in an embrace, feeling his emotions letting go as he hid his face into her shoulder. "You did nothing wrong, Seamus, no one can control those we chose to fall in love with, no matter what others may think."

After a few moments Harper pulled away and quickly used the sleeves of his shirt to wipe his eyes, looking embarrassed by his display of emotions. Taking deep breaths, and avoiding eye contact, Harper seemed at odds for the moment. "I might go for a walk," he suggested.

"That might help," Kalika agreed. "Can I check you before you go, I notice the skin on your neck is a little dry, it looks like it could do with another dose of the oil."

"Its fine," Harper dismissed.

"Harper."

"Call me Seamus, remember?" Harper returned, by way of distraction but Kalika barely paused.

"Seamus, the rash on your skin needs to be completely healed before you can be free of the virus, leaving any part of it untreated could put you at risk of it flaring up again," Kalika warned.

Harper looked unsettled by this and simply nodded his head, as Kalika took his arm and led him back to the house.

* * *

Beka approached the house with only a slight hesitation, remembering her visit just a few hours previously; Harper's rage still fresh in her mind. She kept telling herself that after three years, things had changed even though in her time it was barely six months, a lot had still happened for both of them.

The door was slightly ajar, and Beka pushed it opened so she could walk inside. There was no sound, and Beka stopped to listen. "Hello?" she tentatively called out, and considered leaving but then she heard Kalika's voice coming from a back room and showed relief. She really hadn't wanted to leave before explaining her absence.

"Kalika?" Beka called once more as she approached the back room.

"Beka?" Kalika returned from inside the room. "I'll be right there."

"It's ok, I'm here," Beka walked through the door and saw that Kalika was in the process of treating Harper's back, and she froze.

"Harper," Beka simply spoke with shock.

"Get out of here!" Harper yelled, and then quickly moved, wrapping himself instinctively with the blanket he had been lying on.

"You should wait in the kitchen," Kalika advised.

"Your back, Harper, what the hell happened?" Beka asked with concern.

"Please, wait in the kitchen," Kalika asked once again, and this time moved to Beka and gestured for her to leave the room. Once Beka had gone, Kalika turned to Harper and frowned. "I'm sorry, I thought I had locked the door," she offered as she moved closer.

Harper was taking some calming breaths. "It's ok, I mean Beka's seen worse, and I just didn't want her to see this, not now."

"Last time she saw your back it was still covered in the legions that disguised the damage Marika did," Kalika offered, and then picked up the bottle of oil. "Let me finish."

"What about Beka?"

"She can wait," Kalika calmly returned.

"I don't want her waiting," Harper looked troubled.

"She can wait," Kalika insisted, and encouraged Harper to move the blanket from around him. "Face the door, so if she does come back at least you'll be facing her."

Kalika moved behind Harper, allowing him to remain sitting up as she gently covered and worked the oils into the remaining part of his back. Before she had finished there was a light tap at the door, and Kalika stopped.

"Come in, Beka," Harper offered before Kalika could respond.

The door opened and Beka stepped into the room, she looked nervous and unsure as she stood in front of Harper at the foot of the bed. "Sorry, I shouldn't have reacted like I did, I just wasn't thinking," Beka then apologised.

"It's ok," Harper shrugged, but avoided eye contact. "I'm sorry I snapped earlier, I'm not feeling too great about that."

"It's fine, no harm done," Beka dismissed, just happy to have Harper talking to her, but she needed to know. "Who did that to you?"

"Marika," Harper answered. "We didn't exactly have the flashy toys Trance had to fix the damage, like before."

"Doyle told me she tortured you but I didn't really consider till now," Beka spoke softly as she crouched in front of him.

"Does Doyle hate me?" Harper asked, looking troubled.

Beka closed her eyes, uncertain about how to respond. "She's got issues," she simply remarked.

"How did she find out?" he asked with a hint of accusation.

"Marika told her, just before," Beka hesitated seeing the flash of sadness in Harper's expression. "Did you really?" she prompted, but couldn't finish her question, she didn't have to.

"Yeah," Harper took a deep breath, and then looked at Beka. "You always said I was a loser in love," he smirked.

"I've never seen you like this though, over a girl and one who," Beka frowned. "She tortured you Harper, why did you fall for her?"

Harper took a deep breath and looked upwards, before feeling the comforting hand of Kalika on his shoulder. "I don't think Seamus is ready for these sorts of questions," Kalika spoke up, and Harper didn't argue as he looked down.

Beka brought her hand up to Harper's face, and cupped his chin so he was looking up at her. "Dylan wants me to go with him on some mission off planet, so I'll be gone for a few days and you'll have all the space you need from me to sort this head out of yours, ok?" Beka spoke with fondness, and Harper found himself lost to her smile that followed, remembering the Beka of old as she continued. "I hope we can talk when I get back."

"I've missed you," Harper suddenly spoke and moved forward to embrace his friend and with a relieved smile, Beka returned the hug with equal gusto. "Don't be gone for too long," he then requested, as he pulled back.

"I won't," Beka assured him. "And I'm sure Kalika will take good care of you whilst I'm gone, so don't be a pain in the ass, ok?" she smiled fondly towards Kalika who seemed relieved by the turn of events.

Harper still had hold of Beka's arms as he simply stared at her, before finally he spoke. "Tell the others that maybe I'll come up and visit, sometime," he offered awkwardly, but his eyes gestured upwards.

"They'll like that," Beka agreed. "And maybe Trance can do her magic on those scars you've picked up?"

Harper just shrugged, and sat back on the bed. "I think I'd rather keep them, and don't ask me why," he then added.

Beka didn't have to ask, her glance at Kalika seemed to answer her question, and she guessed Harper wanted them as a reminder of the woman who had inflicted them on him. "Well, we'll see, yeah?" Beka offered before moving to the door. "I'll see you in a few days," she smiled. "And Kalika, don't let him get too used to being fussed over."

"I won't, and have a safe trip," Kalika offered, as they both watched Beka leave, and once she had left the house Harper spoke up.

"That was nice," he offered, a little dumbstruck.

"She's never been the enemy, Seamus," Kalika returned.

Harper turned to Kalika. "Can I go for that walk now?"

"Can I join you?"

"Sure," Harper smiled. "I'll just get a clean shirt and I can finally get to see some more of this place, where are we again?"

"You don't remember?"

"I barely remember the last couple of days and I know I've been here longer than that, so which Seefra planet are we on?"

"One," Kalika answered.

"Seefra One?" Harper checked, and showed both confusion and joy. "I know where I have to go!" he exclaimed, and showed excitement as he quickly moved to retrieve a shirt.

"Where?" Kalika was confused, having not considered that Harper may have been familiar with this planet.

"The Oasis, that's the bar right, in town?" Harper rapidly checked, picking out a green shirt and quickly putting it on. "Now I'm free to roam this rock, I deserve a drink!" he exclaimed with a smile.

"I think it's called the Oasis, yeah, I don't know," Kalika stuttered. "I hardly know this place myself."

"Then let me buy you a drink, for all the help you've given me, let's have a great night out and relax," Harper offered enthusiastically. "Come on, we both need it," he stressed, seeing Kalika's hesitation. "Though I'm a bit strapped for cash, Marika kinda looked after what I had, so I guess that's lost now," he frowned.

"What the hell, and don't worry I have some savings we can use," Kalika finally gave in and with a smile she took the hand Harper offered and moved towards the door. "Wait," she suddenly stopped them both before they left the house. "Let me freshen up, and put on something more appropriate."

"You look fine," Harper assured her.

"I want to look my best," Kalika smiled, and soon disappeared into her room.

"It's not like we're on a date or anything, it's just a drink," Harper offered under his breath, but then heard his words and frowned, before dismissing the stray thoughts he was now having.

With an amused frown Harper moved into the kitchen to wait, taking a seat at the table. After a few moments he heard the door open, and a man walked in that he didn't recognise.

"Seamus Harper," the man greeted, though lacking warmth as he breezed into the room and dumped his jacket over a chair. "So she fixed you, good for her."

"Who?" Harper began.

"Of course, you don't know me, you never did," the man sneered, and Harper couldn't help but detect the animosity towards him from the man. "I'm Lucas, Kalika's loving brother."

"You saved me," Harper remembered what Kalika had mentioned.

"You could say that, though don't thank me," Lucas stated as he moved around the kitchen area grabbing items to eat. "Honestly, don't thank me."

"Ok," Harper was confused.

"So you look well, why are you still here?" Lucas asked, as he turned around and leaned against the counter.

Harper wasn't sure how to answer so just shrugged. "I still need the treatments."

"I bet you do, pretty lady oiling you up each day, makes it hard for a man to leave," Lucas spoke with suggestive tones. "Just remember that lady is my sister."

"Look, it's not like that," Harper was quick to mention.

"Right, Seamus, I'm ready now," Kalika waltzed into the room with a smile, wearing a pretty frock and she'd let her hair down. "Lucas," she stopped on spotting her brother.

"Not like that?" Lucas looked at Harper. "Where are you two going?" he enquired.

"Just for a drink," Kalika offered. "Lucas, where the hell have you been?"

"Had some business to sort out, you wouldn't understand," he stated cagily glancing at Harper, but looking uneasy for a moment. "But it seems my being away has led to developments behind my back, unwelcome, complicated ones."

"Give it up, Lucas," Kalika dismissed. "Come on, Seamus, let's go."

"I don't think so," Lucas stood in front of the door, blocking their exit. "Have you forgotten why I brought him to our home?"

"I've forgotten and you should too," Kalika warned.

"Why did you?" Harper couldn't help his curiosity.

"He wants to know," Lucas grinned at his sister.

Kalika grabbed hold of Harper and pushed past her brother. "Go to hell, Lucas, why don't you try disappearing for a few more days?"

"So you and the little guy can have some privacy?" Lucas called after her, as Kalika continued to march with Harper towards the town centre.

"I'm sorry about that, Seamus," Kalika then offered.

"No biggie," Harper dismissed. "He doesn't seem to like me, so why did he save me?"

"I can't explain," she hurriedly answered. "It won't make any sense to you so let's just forget that happened and enjoy our night out?" Kalika smiled.

Harper noticed for the first time how pretty Kalika looked, wondering how she had transformed in such a short amount of time. "You look beautiful," he remarked, as they slowed their pace back to gentle walking.

"I don't get to dress up often, so you'll have to excuse me for finding any excuse," Kalika smiled fondly.

"I'm glad I found you an excuse," Harper smiled, seeing Kalika in a slightly different light, no longer his carer but a very attractive young lady. He took her hand and they continued to walk side by side into town.

TBC


	18. Chapter 18

Part 18

The bar was quiet and Doyle had collected all the glasses that needed to be cleaned, and now awaited further instructions. Her mind drifted back to seeing Dylan, Beka and Rhade earlier, but she hadn't been able to talk to them and now she wished she had. It had been over a month since she had last seen Harper, nearly three weeks since she had discovered the truth and she needed answers.

"Hey, day dreamer," Sembler's voice disturbed her. "Why don't you take a break? We should be quiet now for a couple of hours."

With a sigh, Doyle nodded her head and pushed herself away from the bar to face him. "I'll just be out back, just give me a shout if you need a hand," Doyle stated, but looking at Sembler she noted that he was no longer looking at her, he seemed to be staring past her. "Sembler?" She ventured unsure, but his eyes were locked on something behind her, and she slowly turned.

Doyle froze on seeing Seamus Harper stood staring back at her, and for a moment nothing was said.

"Just play it cool, Doyle," Sembler whispered from behind her, a comforting hand on her shoulder. Sembler then jumped over the counter and moved past Doyle towards Harper. "Hey!" he exclaimed. "I was starting to think you were avoiding me," he teased and embraced Harper fondly.

"Hey," Harper smiled. "Long time no see," he agreed.

"And the lovely lady?" Sembler prompted, taking Kalika's hand.

"This is Kalika, Kalika, this is Sembler, he owns the joint," Harper introduced.

"Wrong me friend, I'm a man of my word," Sembler hinted.

"Don't start with that, I can't, Sembler, it's too much and I have no experience," Harper stressed already knowing what Sembler was referring to. "I'm just here to have a beer, that's all; I'm not ready for this."

Sembler put a hand on Harper's arm. "We'll talk later," he smiled. "And lucky for you I've been training up the best bar maid this universe has ever known, truth be known she can run this place with her eyes shut, so you won't have to worry too much," Sembler enthused and moved aside to gesture to Doyle.

Harper took a deep breath. "Hey, Doyle," he spoke awkwardly.

"Harper," Doyle simply acknowledged.

Kalika took Harper's hand and squeezed it gently unsure how seeing Doyle now would affect Harper.

"Can I get something to drink for this lovely lady, and me?" Harper then asked towards Sembler, who gestured to Doyle.

"Two of the best, on the house, this is a celebration my friend!" Sembler joyously declared and escorted Harper and Kalika to a nearby table, playing the diligent host.

"Please you don't have to," Harper attempted to downplay Sembler's attentions.

"You're free, Harper, from everything! Isn't this what you wanted?" Sembler took a seat opposite them both and smiled. "And those mythical friends turned up, plus you're in exquisite company, and you seem on the mend, I heard you were ill," he gestured to Kalika before looking back at Harper.

"Please, we just wanted a quiet drink," Kalika spoke up, still holding Harper's hand under the table.

Doyle duly arrived with two drinks and set them down, Harper's eyes never left her but she avoided his gaze before walking away. Sembler noted Harper's disappointment and frowned.

"She's ok," Sembler simply said. "I've been looking after her, helping her out."

"Thanks," Harper offered. "I never wanted to hurt her," he added.

"Hurt her?" Kalika couldn't help her curiosity.

"Not physically," Harper pointed out quickly. "Stuff happened, unavoidable."

"You shouldn't have stayed with Marika, Seamus, all this was avoidable," Sembler came straight to the point.

Harper took a gulp from the drink that had been set on the table for him. "I didn't mean it to come between Doyle and me," he stressed.

"Well it did, after all she had done for you," Sembler got to his feet. "But she's fine, considering all the facts."

Harper watched Sembler move away and he nervously grinned at Kalika. "Beginning to think this wasn't such a good idea."

"We don't have to stay," Kalika offered.

"We're here now and you deserve a night out," Harper smiled.

"Don't stay because of me," Kalika returned.

"I want to stay, and I want to know more about you, I hardly know you," Harper stated, looking into her eyes. "You've known me for nearly a month now, I have a bit of catching up to do," he grinned.

"What do you want to know?" Kalika asked with a smile.

"Is your brother a psycho?"

Kalika laughed out loud, and looked away with amusement before looking back at Harper. "He's very protective of me, and equally stupid."

"Why does he hate me?" Harper asked.

"Seamus," Kalika frowned.

"So he does hate me, you're not denying it," Harper stated.

Kalika sighed. "He was in love with Marika too," she admitted.

"Oh," Harper looked away.

"He knew about you and her, that you were together," Kalika chose her words wisely.

"Just the once," Harper was quick to point out.

"He knew," Kalika frowned. "And that's all he needed," she looked troubled. "He had his reasons, but I really don't think now is the time to discuss this."

"You think he'll lighten up?" Harper checked.

"Maybe, he has issues, mostly family related, and I'm not sure you really want to know all his problems, there's so many," Kalika nervously laughed. "Just take care around him that's all I ask, he's prone to stupidity more so than most," Kalika looked at Harper again, and saw only concern for her in his expression.

"He doesn't scare me," Harper offered confidently. "If he is protective of you, and I'm right about your feelings for me, then he won't do anything, right?"

"It's why he never did," Kalika smiled fondly.

"So you've saved my life twice," Harper declared.

"Just keep out of his way and don't give him any reason to doubt you," Kalika warned, and took Harper's hand into her own. "He's still stupid."

"Said as only a sister can," Harper smiled.

"Harper."

Harper's attention was suddenly snapped towards the figure stood next to him. "Doyle."

"Can we talk?"

"Now?" Harper spoke, slightly flustered.

"Now."

"Where? Here?" Harper gestured to a seat.

"In private," Doyle gestured to the back rooms.

Harper glanced to the door beyond the bar, and looked at Kalika. "Order more drinks, I won't be long," he smiled, as he got to his feet and began to follow Doyle.

"Doyle," Sembler hurried over before they reached the door. "Why don't you use that corner table to talk, the back rooms aren't necessary," Sembler encouraged.

"I want to talk in private, I have things to discuss with Harper," Doyle stressed.

"Doyle, it's perfectly private over there," Sembler insisted.

Harper was unsure why Sembler wanted them away from the back rooms, but soon began to grin. "What you got back there, illegal goods?" he teased.

"No, but," Sembler hesitated, not knowing what to say to Harper, his fears for his safety being his main concern but he didn't want to alarm his friend, or betray Doyle. "I just think you should stay in the public areas."

"You do have illegal goods back there or maybe something worse," Harper's eyes brightened. "I have to take a look at this," he enthused.

"Decision is made," Doyle spoke with a smug expression, before turning to follow Harper to the back rooms.

Sembler took a deep breath and wished he had more staff on duty, as it was he was needed to man the bar, as well as clear the tables. All he really wanted was to ensure Doyle didn't carry through her previous threats against Harper, especially not on his territory.

* * *

Dylan cleared his throat before looking at Beka, who looked back at him with amusement.

"Are you going to tell us why you've had that inane grin on your face since we left Seefra One?" Dylan asked her.

"I'm guessing it's got something to do with the runt," Rhade remarked, all three of them were stood on command, using what little power they had to try and manipulate Andromeda's scanners.

Beka glared at Rhade for his comment before looking at Dylan. "Things went well," she smiled, as she remembered.

"He didn't bite your head off?" Rhade asked.

"Rhade!" Beka snapped. "No, actually he hugged me, actually he suggested that soon he might be ready to help us, actually he's feeling a lot better!" she stressed at the Nietzschean, who simply frowned.

"He said that?" Dylan checked.

"Yeah, right after he hugged me," Beka stated.

"That's great news, why did you wait so long to tell us?" Dylan asked.

"Because I've been savouring the fact that maybe, just maybe, a little ounce of hope and good luck might have come my way," Beka frowned. "I didn't want to waste it."

"Hold onto that, tight," Rhade simply said, without explanation, before they all continued with their work.

* * *

Harper walked into the room and was immediately disappointed to find it was empty bar a table and some chairs. He glanced around, hoping to find what Sembler didn't want him to see but was unable to see anything that raised suspicions.

"There's nothing here!" Harper exclaimed as he spun around to face Doyle, who had entered the room behind him. Before he could react Doyle had a hand around his throat and backed him into a wall. "Doyle!"

"Why did you do it, why did you lie to me!" Doyle demanded to know.

Harper was still gathering his senses, as he tried to comprehend the situation he was suddenly in. "Lie to you?"

"You told me I was human, I believed I was human," Doyle stressed with anger lacing her words.

"You're as human as you feel, Doyle," Harper insisted and felt her grip on his neck tighten, and he momentarily gagged. "Doyle, can't we just discuss this without the grip around my neck?" he requested.

"Tell me why!"

Harper closed his eyes and concentrated on his breathing. "I did it because," he paused, and Doyle pushed him back into the wall to prompt him to continue. "I did it because I needed you by my side, and for that you had to believe you were human."

"You lied to me!" Doyle stressed, with her face close to Harper.

"It was the only way," he looked into Doyle's angered eyes, almost seeing a stranger. "I had to protect you, me, and," he paused again.

"And?" Doyle prompted.

"I didn't do it out of spite, Doyle, just the opposite!" Harper stated.

"Don't tell me for love," Doyle sneered.

Harper looked away, suddenly seeming to become despondent in Doyle's hold. "What do you want me to say?" Harper then asked, feeling the bruising grip tightly around his neck.

"I want you to say why you did it," Doyle reiterated, not letting up.

"And if I don't?" Harper challenged.

"I thought you were my friend," Doyle stated, avoiding his question.

"Likewise, but friends don't strangle each other," Harper returned.

Doyle stared at Harper, and he saw some of her anger melt away. "Why did you build me?"

"I needed a friend, someone to rely on," Harper admitted. "I was lonely, afraid and I just needed some reassurance that I wasn't alone."

"You built me to keep you company?" Doyle questioned and once again Harper felt her grip tighten.

"Not like that!" he was quick to stress. "Never like that."

"Then why?"

"Marika was starting to get weird on me," Harper frowned. "A bit like what you're doing now actually."

The comparison with Marika immediately caused Doyle to move away, releasing her grip on Harper. He straightened up, and composed himself before continuing.

"I built you because I needed to show Marika that I wasn't some easy target that she could pick off at will," Harper explained with more care now. "I had to have you believe you were human so she wouldn't suspect, and wouldn't realise that I was holding out on her."

"Holding out on her?" Doyle asked.

"Think about it, Doyle, I built you and I could have built a hundred more but I didn't, and every time you were in the same room as Marika, we were mocking her," Harper stressed. "Her dream, her vision, she could have had it all and I could have given her it, with my eyes closed," he grinned now.

"You were able to do that, complete her work?" Doyle checked.

"Yeah, but I'm not some cold hearted idiot, I knew her plans would bring pain," Harper looked down. "I grew up in hell, Doyle, I didn't want any part in building that same hell here," he frowned and then took a deep breath. "I sabotaged my own efforts to stop her, and I built you as a means of one day revealing to her what she could have had," Harper moved closer to Doyle now. "But that day never came, and I never got the chance to show you who you truly were, the wonderful being you are, and you should have had that moment of glory with me, in showing Marika the honest truth, but it was taken away."

"Marika knew I was an android, she was the one who told me," Doyle stated.

Harper seemed troubled, as he avoided her stare. "She figured it out soon enough."

"How?"

"Apparently I talk when I'm being tortured," Harper sat down with resignation on one of the chairs and put his head in his hands, leaning on the table. "So hate me, you're not the first, kill me and put me out of my damn misery if it makes you happier, Doyle because that's all I want," he stressed, hiding his head in his hands. "I deserve everything I get, every bit of torture, every illness, every bit of hate aimed at me because fact is," Harper looked up with desperate eyes. "I'm not a nice guy, I'm not a genius; I'm just a stupid kludge!" he stressed. "More so now than ever," he added with sadness, rapidly wiping his eyes to hide his obvious emotions.

"Why didn't you tell me the truth once Marika had figured it out?" Doyle calmly asked, not reacting to Harper's emotions as he struggled to keep control of them.

"I couldn't, it was too hard," Harper softly admitted. "I didn't want to lose you, I was selfish."

Doyle considered his words and then sat opposite him. "Since I found out I have planned every move exactly to make you pay for what you did, how I would hurt you and how I would make you suffer."

Harper looked at Doyle with unease now. "When do you want to start?" Harper asked nervously.

"I now realise I only have to do one thing to truly make you suffer," Doyle stood up, and moved to the exit. "You have to earn the right to be my friend, Harper, and you have a long way to go before you will be considered any friend of mine," she stated and left the room.

TBC


	19. Chapter 19

Part 19

Harper brought his hands up to cover his face once Doyle had left the room with words that had hit him hard, desperately trying to keep his emotions together. Taking some deep breaths, he couldn't stop himself as tears threatened.

"Harper?" Sembler's voice approached. "Hey, you ok?"

"Yeah," Harper managed, quickly composing himself.

"I swore she would hit you, she didn't hit you?" Sembler checked as well as he could as Harper tried to hide his face. "Well that's good, bruises always scares the customers."

Harper nearly jumped as a loud crashing noise erupted in front of him, and he looked at a set of heavy keys now in front of him.

"It's yours, I'm needed elsewhere now," Sembler declared.

"I don't want it," Harper shook his head, his voice less than enthusiastic.

"You need it," Sembler put his hand firmly on Harper's shoulder. "Trust me; this place will kill you if you don't take this."

"But," Harper desperately tried to keep it together.

"Hey, now you're boss you can sack the bar maid, might cheer you up," Sembler suggested.

Harper couldn't help the smirk, as he slowly picked the keys up and felt the weight of them in his hand. "Where are you going?"

"Someplace not near or far, I need to be out of sight for a bit," Sembler returned cryptically. "Been waiting a long time for this day, you've finally given it to me."

"Do you have to go now? Can't you stay for a few days, like old times?" Harper asked, as he slowly recovered his composure.

"I would love to recreate those wild nights, where we'd have to keep you hidden from the tech police and then drink the town dry, but alas, I need to go," Sembler simply said. "Look after the bar, and the bar will look after you," he grinned and before Harper could protest, Sembler picked up a bag that had been in the corner and left the room.

Harper felt the weight of the keys once more, and then shakily got to his feet keeping a firm hold of them. Moving to the door he entered the bar and was hit by the noise and voices that filled the area, he glanced over to Kalika, who seemed even more radiant in the low lighting before he walked to Doyle.

"You ok to lock up tonight?" Harper simply asked and offered the keys to her.

"I'll be fine, and I'll open up in the morning, eleven am," Doyle answered.

"Thanks," Harper offered a brief smile.

"Is that," Doyle gestured to Kalika.

"A friend, just a friend," Harper shrugged distantly.

"You were ill," Doyle acknowledged. "Nearly died," she added.

"Yeah, fit again now," Harper tensed, just wanting to leave the bar now.

"I will have to thank your friend one day," Doyle simply spoke, before pocketing the keys and returning to work.

Harper turned on his heels, and returned to Kalika. Taking his drink he quickly finished it and then offered his hand. "We should go."

"Are you ok?" Kalika asked with concern.

"I'm fine," Harper responded, preoccupied with the need to leave.

"You look unsettled," Kalika observed.

"So would you if you'd just been given ownership of this dive," Harper answered, as he walked with Kalika towards the exit.

"You own this place?" Kalika checked. "I thought that guy was joking!"

"Jokes on me," Harper frowned, not really fully understanding exactly what was going on his life, and was too tired to try and figure it out.

"Are you sure you're alright? You seem a little upset," Kalika asked with care, once they had left the bar and walked out into the cooling night air.

"Seeing Doyle again," Harper began but failed to continue as he stopped and looked away from Kalika.

"Old flame?" Kalika guessed.

Harper snapped his attention back to her. "No!"

"Oh," Kalika offered. "Just the way she acted like she owned you," she added.

"She doesn't act like that," Harper dismissed softly. "It's not like that," he sighed, as he looked up into the night's sky.

Kalika moved closer, and checked Harper's face, bringing her hand up to his cheek. "You've been crying."

"No," Harper tried to move away, but Kalika stopped him.

"You're eyes are red, puffy," Kalika observed. "What did Doyle say to you?"

"It doesn't matter," Harper backed away.

"It does matter, Seamus, it matters to me," Kalika offered. "I care about you," she added, and he looked at her with some confusion.

"You wouldn't understand," he frowned, and began to walk.

"Seamus, try me," Kalika caught him, and took his hand.

Harper stopped and looked at Kalika, her hand still clutching his. "I don't know if I can," he admitted. "I mess things up," he offered but his words were not flowing easily, as he struggled to continue. "Kalika, just promise me something, ok?"

"Ok," Kalika rapidly agreed, only too eager to help.

"Don't expect anything of me, ok? Not ever, regardless, because I'll just end up upsetting you and I don't like myself when I do that to people, and it's usually a lot," Harper explained, looking troubled.

"You haven't let me down so far," Kalika smiled warmly.

Harper smirked. "I've been unconscious and sick for most of that time," he reminded her.

"Still didn't let me down," Kalika argued. "You woke up, you talked and you got better," she added.

"It's all downhill from here, then," Harper frowned, and found Kalika playfully punching him. "Ow! You're supposed to be taking care of me!" he grinned.

"It's all downhill from here," Kalika teased and grabbed his hand again.

"So, what now?" Harper asked, looking around the deserted streets.

"I'm taking you home," Kalika stated and began to walk.

"On our first date?" Harper mocked.

"Our first date?" Kalika checked and saw Harper froze.

"I mean, I was just teasing," Harper quickly explained. "Harper, foot, mouth, a common arrangement," he grimaced, hoping Kalika would crack a smile soon.

"Take me home, Seamus," Kalika stated, giving nothing away as to what she was feeling.

"Look, I didn't mean anything," Harper offered. "I didn't think."

"Why did you let me call you Seamus, when you still refer to yourself as Harper?" Kalika idly asked, ignoring his attempts to explain.

Harper hesitated, unsure of how to react and worrying that he could make things worse. "Force of habit, I've called myself Harper for so long," he shrugged.

"But you let me call you Seamus?"

"Beka calls me that too, sometimes," Harper offered.

"Does it mean anything that I can call your Seamus?" Kalika stopped, and Harper found they were outside the house now.

"Yeah, sure," Harper agreed. "I don't usually like people calling me that, but there are exceptions."

"Why?"

Harper closed his eyes, momentarily being reminded of the one question Doyle kept throwing at him. "Do I really have to explain myself?" he asked tiredly.

"I'm just interested to know," Kalika's tone was a lot softer than Doyle, and with a sigh Harper considered his answer.

"I changed my name, a few years ago when I was still on Earth," Harper admitted.

"Seamus isn't your name?"

"No, Seamus is my real name, but Harper isn't," Harper shrugged, and then seemed anxious. "I don't like people calling me Seamus because it reminds me of my old name, my Earth name, the name my parents gave me and died because of, so the name died the day they did."

"So what is your name?" Kalika asked interest.

"Seamus Doyle," Harper frowned, and partly shrugged uncomfortable suddenly by revealing something so personal.

"Doyle?" Kalika immediately picked up on the reference. "That lady was called Doyle," she stated, and Harper nodded his head. "Is she a relation?"

"Not exactly," Harper shrugged. "I built her."

"Built her?"

"She's an android," Harper saw the shock registering in Kalika's features.

"You built an android, and one that looks like that?" Kalika spoke slowly. "She looks so human, so real."

Harper shrugged again, a little uneasy and unable to know the right words to say. "Yeah, so human that even she's pretty pissed with me at the moment, long story," Harper offered with a heavy sigh.

"Your own android is annoyed with you?" Kalika seemed to be having some trouble comprehending the facts.

"Look, can we not discuss this, now? You just wanted to know about my name, I didn't want to talk about Doyle, so please?" Harper requested.

"So if the name Seamus reminds you of your old name, which I guess is not good because of what happened to your parents, and why you prefer Harper, then why let me call you Seamus?" Kalika then asked.

"Same reason I let, Beka, I trust you with it," Harper stared at Kalika now, his eyes focused on her as they spoke.

"That's quite something considering you've only known me a short while," Kalika admitted.

"I trust you," Harper repeated.

"Does Beka know the truth?"

"No, only you do now," Harper frowned.

"Who knew before me?" Kalika asked.

"Marika," Harper admitted, and took a deep breath. "But I didn't mean to tell her, she kind of found out by accident."

"By accident?"

"Torture, actually," Harper frowned.

"Oh," Kalika stated, and seemed concerned suddenly. "We should go inside, I'm sorry I shouldn't be asking these things, I'm forgetting myself."

"It's ok," Harper offered quietly, and walked Kalika to the house.

"So why did you call Doyle after yourself if you didn't like it?" Kalika asked, and then stopped. "Sorry, I shouldn't ask that, I should just shut up."

"I needed family by my side on Seefra," Harper simply said. "I had nothing else."

"So you called her Doyle?"

"I created her, she's almost family so it seemed right," Harper frowned. "Pretty stupid, huh?"

Kalika looked down, before meeting Harper's eyes, a brief smile. "Not stupid, not at all," she assured him, and put her hand on his arm with affection. "Seamus, you really are something else, you know that?"

"You think that?" Harper checked, and his stomach began to flip as he looked at Kalika with care, before their bodies seemed to come closer together.

The door suddenly opened and Kalika was pulled from Harper's hold, as her brother slammed the door in Harper's face. It took Harper a moment to get his bearings and when he did he heard the lock turn on the door, and he began hitting it.

"Hey, I live here too!" Harper yelled, and could hear Kalika's own protests from inside. "Let me in!" Harper demanded, his concern growing for Kalika hearing the raised voices. "Kalika, are you ok?" he shouted, still bashing the door.

"I'm fine, Seamus, I'm fine," Kalika spoke, once a silence descended.

"Get the hell out of here!" Lucas's voice was then heard.

"I'm sorry, Seamus," Kalika spoke. "I can't talk him around, he's been drinking, it's best not to push it, you should go, sorry."

"Where do I go?" Harper asked the door, wishing it would open and confused by developments. "This is my home."

"Sorry," Kalika simply repeated, and her words were genuine enough.

"It's ok," Harper offered, backing away. "But tell your brother that if he lays one finger on you, Kalika."

"Get out of here!" Lucas yelled loudly, and Harper stumbled back suddenly afraid when he heard the door being unlocked, and then saw Lucas appear and he started to give chase.

"No, Lucas, get back here!" Kalika panicked, as Harper ran into the night without looking back.

* * *

Doyle glanced around and saw that finally the last of the patrons had left for the night, and she could finally lock up. Collecting the remaining glasses, Doyle took her time as she made the place presentable and idly considered how things might change now that Harper was in charge. She had been pleased to see him, deep down, but couldn't trust her own instincts to be her own, and old feelings of betrayal had surfaced.

Moving to the entrance to lock the door, Doyle stopped and glanced outside. The night air was still and brisk, a chill left from the suns warmth being absent for a precious few hours. It was approaching the early hours of morning and there was no one else around but she sensed something. On hearing a cough she knew she recognised the sensation she was feeling.

"Harper?" Doyle spoke up as she walked along the outside wall, finding someone sat on the ground. "Harper!"

Harper looked up at Doyle through bleary eyes, and then coughed for a moment before Doyle helped him to his feet.

"You're freezing," Doyle remarked.

"It's cold out here."

"Why didn't you come inside?" Doyle berated.

"Because you hate me, didn't think I was welcome," Harper offered.

Doyle felt a sudden feeling of regret and frustration before helping Harper inside. "This place is now yours, not mine, Harper, and there's a bedroom out the back that I guess Sembler doesn't require anymore," Doyle offered. "What happened?"

"I screwed up, Doyle, like I always do," Harper mumbled.

"What happened to your friend?" Doyle asked, as she led him through to the back rooms.

"Like you care, Doyle, just lock up and go, don't worry about me," Harper dismissed with sudden anger and moved forward, as he grabbed a bottle from a crate on reaching the back room.

"I'll always care, Harper because you built me to care," Doyle countered.

"Whatever," Harper stressed no longer in any sort of mood to be reasonable, as he gulped down the contents of the bottle. "You know what, Doyle, don't bother with this pretence, you don't want to work for me so don't, be your own person, android, whatever, I don't care," Harper stressed. "If you had any sense you'd find Dylan and you'd do something more worthwhile than hanging around someone like me, trust me, you don't belong here."

Doyle could see that Harper was upset, and she knew this wasn't her friend of old speaking but he was right, she had been drawn to joining Dylan and Beka and felt that with not having killed Harper on first sight she might be able to win favour with them again. "If that's what you want, I will leave you to lock up," Doyle simply said, dropping the keys on the side, as Harper settled down to sleep. She waited for him to react but things had gone too far, and he had nothing more to say, so quietly she turned and left the bar, with no intentions of returning.

TBC


	20. Chapter 20

Part 20

"Let go of me!"

Lucas watched Kalika struggle, and stood his ground, powerless to help as he watched his sister being tied up. Beside Kalika, his wife and children were silent, and looking scared.

"Why are you doing this?" Lucas asked the men that had barged into the house earlier that evening with his family in tow.

"This house is leased by Dylan Hunt, we want Dylan Hunt and you will bring us Dylan Hunt!"

"What?" Lucas demanded. "I hardly know him!"

"You're staying in his house," the man returned.

Lucas tried to respond but stopped himself, knowing anything he was about to say would only prove them right. "Look, why bring my wife and kids here, why tie them and my sister up?" Lucas asked, glancing at his loved ones with concern.

"Motivation," the man snarled. "You will bring us Dylan Hunt, or we will kill them."

"If you want Dylan Hunt, we should have let my sister's boyfriend in!" Lucas snapped. "If you'd have told me sooner, I'd have dragged his butt in here myself, and not my sister!"

"Keep talking," the man approached Lucas, and Lucas had to look away from the worried frown his sister now wore, knowing her feelings for Harper.

"Dylan said we could stay here, least my sister could stay here because of Harper, they are old friends so if you want Dylan, you want Harper," Lucas spoke and heard a stifled sob from his sister, unable to look at her.

"Seamus Harper, the same Seamus Harper who continued to evade us, who worked with Marika, who was, some suspected, the reason the strangers caused the fall of our system?" the man spoke slowly. "We are Tech Police and if you can give us Harper, and Harper can give us Dylan Hunt and the rest of those strangers then you my friend, you are my new best friend."

"You'll spare my family, if I give you Harper?" Lucas asked.

"I will ensure you and your family are never troubled again," the man smiled. "We want those strangers to pay for what they did to us, and if we can take out Seamus Harper as well, its bonus time all round."

"No," Kalika offered with despair.

"Tell me where to find Seamus Harper," the man then turned to Kalika.

"Tell him, sis, please, my kids, do it for my kids, please," Lucas begged.

Kalika couldn't stop the tears, and she found herself looking at the young toddlers, oblivious to the torment around them, as they quietly played with some wooden toys. "The Oasis, he owns the Oasis, the bar in town," Kalika almost choked as she betrayed Harper. "I guess he's gone there, he has no where else to go."

"Sarjed, take our prisoners to secured accommodation," the lead man spoke and turned to Lucas. "Your sister has feelings for Harper, useful to us."

"Hey, we've helped you, and you said you'd look after us, where are you taking them!" Lucas yelled.

"When the strangers are dead, and Seamus Harper has played his part, you will benefit with your families good health!" the man shouted back, and Lucas backed down. "You will ensure Seamus Harper helps us, by reminding him of what's at stake for you, particularly your sister."

"Don't you dare harm Kalika because of this Harper guy, she is blinded by this stranger, what she thinks she feels isn't real," Lucas warned.

"I'm not interested in her feelings, only revenge against those who destroyed what I had," the man sneered coldly, and pushed Lucas towards the door.

* * *

The sun was only just rising as they walked along the busy street. The locals were gathered early for a local market and the crowds were a surprise for the normally quiet area. Beka frowned, as she walked with Rhade. It had been while since they had been planet side, having been travelling amongst the stars for a number of days, and the noise and mayhem had caught them off guard.

"I could really kill for a drink now," Rhade remarked, as he shoved a local aside who had stepped into his path.

"The bar won't be open yet, surely?" Beka commented. "It's still early."

"Looks open," Rhade gestured to the open door, and with a shrug Beka gestured to him to lead the way.

They stepped into the empty building and approached the bar to await service. They both looked around and frowned, before Beka spoke. "Maybe it's not open?"

"Could be the temptation of the market has driven everyone away," Rhade smirked. "Service!" Rhade then yelled but heard no response.

"Let's sit down, maybe Sembler is out the back and isn't expecting customers this early," Beka suggested, and they moved to a side table.

"So how long will you leave it?" Rhade asked once they were settled.

"Leave what?"

"Going to see him," Rhade spoke, attempting to look disinterested.

Beka glared at Rhade, before answering. "I don't know, I want to see him but I'm going to wait until we know if Dylan wants us to suddenly go off on another mad mission."

"I thought you weren't going to help Dylan any more?"

"I don't want to stay in this system, I just want out and I figure my chances are improved if I stick with Dylan," Beka reasoned. "Now the Andromeda is up to forty percent power, it's mad not to stick with him."

They both looked round on hearing a sudden nose coming from the back rooms, sounding like something or someone had fallen down. Getting to her feet, Beka glanced at Rhade whilst putting her hand to her holstered gun on instinct.

"I'll go check it out," she remarked.

"Whilst you're up you can get me a beer," Rhade suggested.

"Get your own," Beka returned and headed towards the back room. As she approached she cautiously walked through the door. "Hello? Anyone here?"

"Beka?"

"Harper?" Beka spoke with shock and moved forward so she could see him, and found him kneeling on the floor cleaning up some bottles that had smashed. "What are you doing here?"

"Was about to ask the same," Harper remarked, as he collected the bag of broken glass and got to his feet.

Beka reached out and stopped him, grabbing his arm. "Hey, what happened?"

"I dropped some bottles, no big deal," Harper stressed.

"What happened to your face?" Beka asked, seeing the bruises and cuts around his eyes and cheeks, some only looked a few hours old and didn't appear to have been treated other than cleaned, but others were older, possibly a couple of days.

"Nothing, can you let me go?" Harper asked, and shrugged Beka's hold off him before continuing to move.

"Harper I was only gone a few days, what is going on? Why are you here, where's Kalika? Where's Sembler, Nat?"

Harper glanced at Beka but didn't answer and instead moved to the back door, going outside to dump the broken glass. Beka watched him returning and crossed her arms, as Harper continued to keep busy whilst avoiding her.

"Seamus," Beka tried again and this time Harper stopped, before looking at her.

"Kalika threw me out, Sembler gave me the bar, Nat disappeared, so who knows," he shrugged. "Ok? That's all you need to know," Harper explained, before moving to the bar.

Beka wanted to know more, but on hearing Rhade's reaction to seeing Harper, she quickly moved to join them in the bar area. Rhade had walked to the bar by the time Beka reached them, and he looked at her with confusion.

"What's going on?" Rhade asked Beka, as Harper set up the bar ready for opening as if he'd been doing it all his life, but Beka could only shrug.

"This is my bar now, ok?" Harper stressed, clearly wanting to be left alone to set up. "Sembler has gone, I'm better, I'm doing something with my worthless life, so let me get on and get out of my face!" he snapped, and moved around the bar to check the tables.

"I want a beer," Rhade ordered.

"We open in twenty minutes," Harper returned, busying himself with cleaning the tables.

"Your door is open now so I'll help myself," Rhade suggested, as he reached for a glass but before he could take the bottle, Harper had closed the distance and snatched the bottle away.

"No, you won't, you'll wait!" Harper stressed. "That door is not supposed to be open, it must have-" Harper stopped mid-sentence and didn't continue, as he glared at Rhade.

"I want a drink, little man," Rhade sneered and grabbed hold of the bottle, at the same time as Harper made a grab for it and for a moment a tussled between the two took place, as Beka looked on with a frown.

When Harper refused to release his grip on the bottle, Rhade used his superior strength, and pushed the human back keeping a hold on the bottle as Harper crashed into some crates behind the bar, and took instinctive cover as the top crate toppled and came down on top of him, smashing bottles around him.

"Harper!" Beka cried out, and hurried to his side and even Rhade put the bottle down and helped lift the crates off the human.

"I'm ok," Harper stressed as he pushed the help away and got quickly to his feet, looking unsteady for a moment but dismissed their concerns. "Just go!" he then ordered, and both Beka and Rhade looked at each other.

Beka finally gestured to Rhade to go, and to her surprise he left without complaint and she hoped Harper didn't notice him taking the bottle with him.

"I said go," Harper repeated to Beka, as he began to tidy up the mess, but Beka instead stayed and helped him pick up more broken pieces of glass.

"Not having much luck with the bottles today," Beka remarked. "Add these to the ones you broke earlier as well." Harper appeared agitated by her presence, which concerned her as she put the last broken bottle in the bag. "What's going on, Seamus?" she asked again.

Harper grabbed the bag and once again moved to the back of the bar and dumped it outside. Moments later Beka spotted another guy out the back, and one that she recognised but couldn't think from where. The stranger was stacking more bottles, and she watched as the guy briefly spoke to Harper before he returned to the main serving area.

"Who's that?" Beka gestured.

"Lucas," Harper answered, as he began to clean some glasses behind the counter.

"Kalika's brother," Beka now remembered, and saw the surprise register on Harper's face. "He was on board the Maru with Kalika, when you were ill," she offered as an explanation, and Harper seemed to accept it without comment. "Does he work here?"

"Yeah," Harper answered.

"Even though his sister threw you out?"

"What is it with the twenty questions?" Harper finally snapped. "Didn't I ask you to leave, we're not open yet."

"Harper, stop this, I'm not some stranger that you barely know," Beka returned angrily.

"Three years is a long time," Harper simply answered.

"What's that suppose to mean?" Beka demanded, and followed Harper as he began to move around the bar checking the chairs and tables.

"Three years, Beka," Harper repeated. "I've been here three years and things change, ok?"

"So what, we're not friends now? That's not the impression you gave me a few days ago when you were all with the hugs," Beka stressed. "I just don't get it with you lately, and seriously I'm beginning to wonder if I ever knew you at all, Seamus."

"This is my life now," Harper looked at Beka. "You're not a part of it anymore, so go," he ordered, not breaking eye contact with Beka that didn't go unnoticed by her, his mouth seemed to be saying words that his expression wasn't expressing.

"So just like that you want me to leave?" she asked, and offered a frown to try and see if she was reading him correctly.

Harper shrugged, but didn't answer vocally, though his eyes offered a look of despair.

"Why are you doing this?" Beka asked with confusion, which was genuine as she tried to determine if Harper was actually trying to speak to her through his expressions. "What's going on, who's did that to your face? I've only been gone a few days, and I know things don't change that much."

"Harper," Lucas then called out, now stood behind the bar. "I need your help out back with something."

Harper acknowledged Lucas and then glanced at Beka. "Just go," he spoke calmly, and seemed to want to say more but stopped himself.

Beka was reluctant to leave and for a moment neither of them moved or spoke, before Beka sighed. "I'll go now, but I'll be back, Seamus, I know something is going on and I intend to find out what," she stated in a low voice.

Harper glanced around before suddenly taking Beka's hand and walking her briskly to one of the corner tables where to her surprise, he pulled her close as if intending to kiss her, but before he did he covered her mouth with his hand and whispered in her ear. "Just stay alert, and stay close, please?" he whispered in panicked breaths. "I can't explain, but don't leave me, whatever you do please don't leave without me," Harper paused knowing he had to say more, seeing Beka's puzzled expression. "You may have rid this system of the tech police, but you didn't change the attitude of its people, they haven't changed," he frowned. "But you have to go, you can't stay here, not at the moment, it's bad for me," Harper continued to hurriedly explain whilst to the casual observer they appeared to be in a passionate embrace.

Beka's eyes were wide as Harper prevented her talking, keeping his hand over her mouth. "I'm in trouble, but I can't do anything, lives are at stake, I need your help but I don't know how yet, but you have to trust me just stay close, please?"

Beka nodded her head, before Harper promptly moved away and left her to take in what had just happened. Taking some deep breaths before she moved to the exit, fully intending to find out what trouble Harper was in.

* * *

Harper quickly moved into the back room intending to help Lucas and immediately found himself being sent painfully down to the floor in a heap as a right hook caught him across the face. Harper rolled on the floor getting his bearings, before he glanced at Lucas with a frown, and then looked at the two men to Lucas's right, one of which had struck him.

"I got rid of her," Harper snapped, rubbing his cheek, still on his back on the floor. "We have to open up," he then added with a sneer.

"What was all that about?" one of the men asked, stepping forward to stand over Harper.

"What was what?" Harper asked, and swiftly felt a kick to the gut in response. Gasping for breath, Harper closed his eyes to the pain before looking up at the man stood over him still. "She's an old friend, she was talking too much so I did what normally shuts her up, I kissed her, you got a problem with romance?" Harper sneered.

"Seemed a long kiss, and she seemed a little shocked," the man argued.

"It's been three years, she's forgotten the Harper love, or are you upset because you didn't have a front row seat, what are you?" Harper feigned disgust. "Jealousy doesn't suit you," he then smirked and this time attempted to shield himself from the kick to the gut that followed.

"We're watching you, don't forget what you have to do!" the man spat before gesturing to his friend to follow him, as they returned to the living quarters and slammed the door.

"Are you ok?" Lucas was quick to ask, as he knelt down and checked on Harper.

"Fine," Harper stressed with annoyance, and attempted to get to his feet only to recoil back in agony as he felt shooting pains in his arm.

"What is it?" Lucas feared.

"Damn shoulder," Harper rubbed his arm, attempted to dismiss the pain as Lucas helped him to his feet. "Once we're out of this mess remind me to get it fixed," he frowned, before moving towards the bar. "We better open up, don't want to arouse suspicion do we," he stated, his voice sounded sarcastic.

Lucas nodded his head, and followed Harper back into the bar, where they finished up preparations before opening.

TBC


	21. Chapter 21

Part 21

"So what happened?"

"I'm not sure," Beka answered, looking at Dylan and then to Rhade and Doyle. "Harper told me he's in trouble, but it was bad for me to stay."

"You said Lucas was with him?" Dylan asked.

"Yeah, out the back, he didn't seem too pleased to see me," Beka frowned.

"Do you think Lucas is the threat?" Rhade asked. "Makes sense if Harper's done something to make Kalika throw him out, and you said Harper's been beaten lately."

"His face has seen better days," Beka agreed, and looked at Doyle. "What's Harper doing running that damn bar? He's still sick, and you don't get over that illness overnight."

"Three nights ago Harper turned up with his friend, Kalika I assume," Doyle answered. "Sembler kept to his word, couldn't wait to give Harper the keys and then he left."

"So Harper stayed, and just assumed responsibility for it?" Rhade asked, crossing his arms.

"No, Harper left soon after with Kalika, he didn't seem interested, and left me to lock up," Doyle remembered. "But then at closing I found him outside in the cold, he'd been too afraid to come in thinking I wouldn't want him there, and then he proceeded to tell me to find you guys, and that I shouldn't work for him."

"So he fired you?" Rhade asked, slightly amused.

"Harper wanted you to find us, and work with us, why?" Dylan asked with curiosity.

"Said something about I didn't belong there," Doyle shrugged unsure.

"Meaning you belong somewhere else, and with us," Beka picked up, and glanced at Dylan knowingly.

"Let's focus on what we can do to help Harper, starting with finding out what's going on," Dylan decided.

"Can we afford to waste time on this?" Rhade asked. "Things are getting pretty desperate and we can't hang around."

"We need Harper more now than ever," Dylan stressed.

"Only he can work Andromeda's systems to get that power where we need it, we can't expect Doyle to know it all," Beka stressed.

"I will continued my work on rebuilding Rommie, I believe if I can get her up and running she can help, but I fear she needs Harper, so far I can't get her to function correctly," Doyle conceded.

"Are we sure he wants our help this time?" Rhade checked.

"He begged me not to leave without him, and I don't intend to," Beka stated firmly. "We need Harper to fit the final piece of the jigsaw, it was always going to come down to this, we all have a part to play and now it's Harper's turn so we can return home."

Rhade nodded his head, in agreement finally convinced. "Then let's get this over with sooner rather than later."

"I'm going to go along and try and talk to him some more, I'm guessing he can't talk but maybe he can find a way to tell me what's going on," Dylan announced. "The rest of you, stay close just in case but I'm not leaving that bar until I know what's going on and who I need to fight to make it stop."

"Captain, word of advice," Rhade offered. "Don't let Harper get too close, he might use the same tactic he used on Beka," Rhade mocked, as the captain frowned and headed towards the bar, across the street from where they stood.

* * *

Harper looked up and saw Dylan enter the bar, and immediately he felt compelled to move away, knowing Beka must have seen him already. As if reading his mind, Dylan spoke up requesting a moment of his time. He hated looking at Dylan as a stranger, or the enemy, a man he had greatly admired and loyally followed. So much had happened, and he did see a stranger almost in Dylan now but Harper knew what he had to do; he knew what was at stake, and that he was still struggling to get past certain feelings.

"Mr Harper," Dylan offered, more to get his attention, as Harper absently wiped down the bar surface. "The longer things go on like this the harder it will be for you to consider coming back with us."

"Back?" Harper caught himself repeating.

"We're not intending to stay in Seefra, Mr Harper, you must realise this, and I'm betting that the situation with the suns hasn't gone unnoticed."

"What's going to happen?" Harper asked casually, leaning on the counter mildly interested, he had heard rumours around the bar but had chosen to ignore them.

"The system is collapsing, we think in a matter of days Seefra Nine will be destroyed by one of the suns," Dylan revealed. "Then each planet from there on in, until it reaches here," he added, and Harper knew Dylan was waiting for his reaction.

Harper pushed himself back from the counter considering the news. "So all this will just be destroyed?"

"Not if we can help it," Dylan returned. "We might not be able to save all of the planets, but there's a chance we can save this one."

"Stopping suns now?" Harper questioned unconvinced, almost mocking his former captain.

"Do you doubt me?" Dylan challenged and Harper just stared at him.

"Why are you here, to ask for my help?"

"Yes."

"You know my answer."

"I know it, but I don't understand it," Dylan countered. "I've had to work hard to win the trust of my crew back, but no matter what we do you remain here."

"I like it here."

"Liar."

"Are you calling me a liar?" Harper questioned defensively.

"Yes, Mr Harper you are the Commonwealths top engineer, not a bar man!" Dylan returned with force. "Why are you wasting your talents in this place, when we need you on the Andromeda?"

"I was the top engineer, now I'm a barman," Harper remained defiant.

"Is this really what you want? Because a part of me suspects that you just seem to want to see me beg," Dylan stated.

"I don't need this," Harper turned away.

"And I do?" Dylan questioned. "Tell me Mr Harper, do you really want me to turn around now and never come back? Is that what you really want, for none of us to ever bother you again so you can run your little bar?"

Harper stopped but didn't turn back to Dylan. "Get out," Harper simply requested.

"What?"

"I said get out and don't come back, and you can tell your friends not to come here too," Harper stressed with his eyes fixed on Dylan, and he could almost feel eyes of the goons on the back of his neck as he spoke, knowing they were watching and he knew they wouldn't be happy.

"Harper," Lucas hastily appeared beside Dylan. "We can't be telling customers to leave, remember that little talk we had?"

Harper glared at Lucas. "OK, he can stay but he has to quit bugging me if he does," Harper stressed.

"I need you, Harper," Dylan stated, desperately searching the younger man's expression for something, some clue as to his state of mind.

"And I need you to buy a drink, if you haven't notice that's what happens here," Harper stressed. "I have work to do," he then finished and swiftly moved away to collect glasses.

"What happened to Sembler and Nat?" Dylan casually asked Lucas, having not got what he wanted from Harper, other than added confusion.

"Semblers travelling, Nat, I don't know, she never turned up for work," Lucas offered, as he wiped down the bar, his movements were anxious and Dylan believed it was due to him being there.

"You seem nervous, Lucas," Dylan observed.

"Me? No, I'm fine," he returned, without looking up at the high guard captain.

Dylan turned on hearing raised voices and saw Harper being shoved by another patron, to Dylan's surprise Harper didn't react and seemed to just back off. The small group of patrons he was with continued to jostle him, seemingly mocking Harper as he attempted to clear their table and Harper was doing nothing to defend himself, as he continued to try and clear the table.

Getting to his feet Dylan moved towards the group of men, now hearing them insulting the human, and it seemed to be directed at the port as Dylan got closer.

"Freak of nature, we don't want you serving us, get that other guy over here," one of the men ordered Harper, before shoving him back.

"Can I get you some more drinks?" Harper asked in a surprisingly polite manner.

"I said," the patron grabbed hold of Harper's shoulder, making the human wince and drop his note pad. "I don't want to be served by the likes of you, freak."

Harper stared at the man, and then glanced over to see Dylan was approaching, before suddenly shoving the man away. His actions immediately set the other four men to action, as they lunged for Harper and easily sent him crashing to the floor as the bar became a place of chaos. Dylan hurried forward, still seeing Harper on the floor taking hits all over and made a grab for him using the bar fight that had now erupted as a shield to drag him outside. Harper had barely managed to find his feet, as Dylan pulled him through the door, and he rapidly sat down just outside on the sandy ground.

Taking some needed breaths, Harper squinted with the bright sun and tried to ignore the pains from the hits he took, before looking at Dylan.

"Hey boss," Harper offered brightly. "Now we can talk in peace," he stated between heavy breaths.

"Harper, did you really have to start a bar fight to get my attention?" Dylan asked wearily.

"I'm in trouble, boss, big time, I'm glad Beka obviously talked to you," he continued to breath heavily. "I feel like shit, the rash is coming back, forgetting things again, and there's two goons out back who are forcing me and Lucas to work, and," Harper squinted his eyes closed as a rush of pain came over him.

"And what, Harper?" Dylan knelt down and prompted the human to continue.

"They have Kalika," Harper finished.

"Who do?"

"The goons."

"Who are they?" Dylan persisted.

"Disbanded tech police with a grudge," Harper sighed. "Somehow they know I'm with you guys, and they are using me to set you up."

"To what means?"

"They want you, Beka, Rhade and even Doyle dead," Harper spoke and then smirked. "Idiots still haven't heard the news about Doyle, they still think she's human," he continued to smile through the pain. "I have to get back inside, if they suspect I've warned you to stay away and to get out of here I'm a dead man, and so is Kalika, so please, just go," Harper feared.

"You're really afraid of these guys," Dylan realised; he'd seen Harper scared before but this time he seemed desperately scared.

"They have Kalika," Harper only offered with a frown. "And Lucas's wife and children, I didn't even know that freak had his own family," he added distractedly.

"What is their plan, what are they trying to get you to do with regards to us?" Dylan asked.

"They want me to make it that you are all in the bar at the same time, so I figured by playing hard to get, you'd turn up in the bar at the same time to talk sense into me," Harper sighed. "Only I couldn't do it when Beka turned up, I wasn't ready and I realised what was truly at stake, that's why I decided to warn Beka and now you," Harper looked down. "I can't do this to my friends, so now I don't know what's going to happen," he stressed and looked at Dylan for answers.

"How is Lucas involved?" Dylan asked calmly.

"They feel Lucas being there as well will ensure I don't muck things up for them," Harper shrugged and wiped his face with his sleeve, a mixture of sweat, tears and blood. "His sister, his wife and his children's lives are at risk because of me, Dylan, I'm tired of being the reason," he stated desperately. "You have to help me, but I don't know how."

"But all you've done since we got here is try to push us away," Dylan was confused. "I'm not sure where we stand with you, Harper," he honestly responded. "Since you've been in this system you have killed, and worked for the enemy of these people, I need to know that deep down after everything you have done, that inside you is still that man I trust to be on my crew."

Harper appeared shocked by Dylan's statement and bewildered, as he looked around hopelessly. "Three years, Dylan, I was left here for three years with nothing but my wits and," Harper paused to catch his breath, and attempted to get to his feet. "You know, forget it," Harper sniped, as he lost his balance before Dylan helped him the rest of the way up. "Dylan, I don't think I've ever asked for much but please, if you don't want to help me, fine, I'm a big boy, I can deal but don't punish Kalika, or Lucas's family, they need your help because my help isn't good enough," Harper paused before continuing. "And don't do it for me if that makes you feel better but I promise, boss, I'll come back and do whatever needs doing on Andromeda without question if you save them."

"Done," Dylan insisted without question. "Are you sure you can hold out here until we find them?"

"Don't sweat about me or pretend to care, I'd hate to become a burden to you, and besides I only have myself to blame, right?" Harper stated angrily.

"Harper, it's not like that," Dylan assured him. "I just needed to know, and you've told me enough for me to know you're still the Seamus Harper I once knew, before all this," Dylan stated firmly.

Harper relaxed and sighed, before looking awkwardly at Dylan. "Don't worry about me, boss, but if you can find time in your schedule to get my butt out of this nightmare, then I'd appreciate it," Harper added, looking unsure as he waited for the captain's response.

Dylan relaxed slightly. "I'll see what I can do, and for the moment just stay alert, and out of trouble, if not for my sake, then Beka's," Dylan requested with a hint of a smirk.

"Sure, no problem," Harper agreed, and then mock frowned. "I mean you're only leaving me to run a bar I don't want with patrons that are either terrified of me or want to deck me for being everything they were brought up to fear and hate, with two goons who will no doubt use me as a punch back a few more times, so I'll be fine."

Dylan had to smirk, it had been a long time since he'd heard the Harper he remembered talking back at him, and suddenly felt a lot better for all of them, as he watched Harper return to the bar amongst the mayhem that still ensued.

* * *

"Needle in a freaking haystack," Rhade complained as he used the Maru sensors to sweep the settlements on Seefra one. "Dylan!" he yelled over his shoulder. "How the hell do we expect to find Kalika and the other when we have no idea where they are?"

"Rhade, quit complaining already," Beka grouched from the pilot's seat. "The sooner we get this done, the sooner we're out of this system!"

"If we just forgot about this stupid mission, we could get out of this stupid system a hell of a lot quicker!" Rhade returned with venom, and stepped back when Beka jumped out her seat and confronted the uptight Nietzschean.

"So that's your plan?" Beka demanded. "Forget Harper, and 'somehow' get our butts out of this system?" she questioned mockingly. "Sure, great plan, so next question, how the hell do we do that without Harper?"

"We don't even know if Harper can get us out of this system," Rhade calmly returned.

"We don't know that he can't, but we do know that right now we have a piece missing from the puzzle and our best guess is its Harper shaped, so quit your whining and just keep scanning, or I'll find a way to make you quit altogether," Beka gestured to her pistol, and Rhade returned his focus to the scans.

TBC


	22. Chapter 22

Part 22

Harper was past screaming as they brought his head down hard against the wooden table, before leaving him to collapse to the floor in a bloodied and dazed heap. Groaning slightly, Harper felt a hand on his arm and instinctively shirked it away as he wallowed in his own pain.

"Harper," Lucas's voice spoke up. "Drink this, it'll take the pain away, come on."

Reluctantly, and despite the pain, Harper rolled onto his back before Lucas helped him to sit up. Taking the beer bottle, Harper took a large gulp and then spat it out, seeing the liquid on the ground mixed with blood. Lucas silently offered him a clean damp cloth, and Harper began to wipe his sore face.

"They beat you pretty bad this time; did they have good reason to?" Lucas asked stepping back.

"Do they ever?" Harper sneered, as he put the cloth down and began to drink the beer, this time swallowing.

"Did you sneak away and talk to Dylan?" Lucas asked accusingly.

"Does it matter?" Harper dismissed angrily, avoiding eye contact with Lucas but suddenly felt his shirt being grabbed and before Harper could react Lucas had him pinned to the ground, his hands around the engineer's throat.

"It matters!" Lucas sneered with rage. "My sister, my wife and my kids are going to be killed because of you!"

Harper closed his eyes, unable to face Lucas as he tried to recover his composure, with Lucas's weight on him restricting his movement. "Trust me," Harper simply said before his head snapped to the side, as Lucas struck him.

"Just don't forget what's at stake here," Lucas stressed. "I need you to do what they ask, or so help me, I will kill you myself like I should have done the moment I took you from Marika!"

"What?" Harper caught and looked at Lucas. "You rescued me."

Lucas just sneered. "I took you to kill you myself, for Marika; I didn't want the tech police taking away my right to do the job myself!"

Harper was suddenly afraid, Kalika had been cagey about Lucas's reasons for rescuing him and now it was clear why. "Lucas, I'm helping you, you have to trust me!"

"I only trust you to mess things up, like you did for Marika, but I swear you will not claim my families lives this time, Marika's death is enough for your skills in messing things up!" Lucas pushed down on Harper before returning to the bar, leaving the human sprawled on the floor still dazed and confused.

* * *

Dylan walked onto the Maru with a sombre expression, and beside him Trance and Doyle seemed equally sad. Beka looked over at them and watched as Doyle disappeared towards the crew quarters, before Dylan with Trance moved to join her at the server and Beka knew things were not going well.

"Nothing," Dylan declared. "We covered a lot of ground today, and we're no closer to finding out anything on where Kalika and the others are being held."

"Same here, scans showed nothing," Beka frowned. "I'm beginning to suspect they're not on Seefra one."

"And if that's the case, they could be on a planet that is about to burn," Trance offered with concern.

"Harper's not holding up well, Trance and I briefly went into the bar and he looked rough, they are just using him as a punch bag," Dylan added with concern.

"He didn't even notice us," Trance frowned. "Some patrons were pushing him around, and no one was helping him, he's all alone and we're not helping him," she feared.

"So what do we do?" Beka asked. "We can't just hope we find Kalika and Lucas's family, and expect Harper to take that kind of treatment."

"I was hoping you would say that, but that leaves us with just one option, one I fear will meet objections from some," Dylan offered and on cue Rhade walked into the serving area.

"We go to the bar, and we play into those psychos hands," Rhade stated, surprising everyone. "Look, I hate wasting time and right now that's what we're doing and from all accounts it seems there's happy hour at the bar now, where you get to beat Harper, so let's go," Rhade decided.

"No beating Harper," Beka made clear as she got to her feet. "We're the good guys, remember?"

"Ruin all my fun," Rhade complained.

"Everyone is ok with this?" Dylan checked and saw no objections. "Where's Doyle, we need her too."

"I'm here," Doyle stated, appearing at the doorway. "You said these goons threatening Harper do not realise I am not human?"

"Yes," Dylan answered a little unsure.

"Then, I will use this to my advantage," Doyle declared with a secret smile.

"To help Harper?" Beka checked.

"To help us all," Doyle corrected, and moved past them all to be the first to leave the Maru.

"What is she planning?" Dylan asked, a little doubtful.

"I don't know, but you can be sure I'll be keeping a close eye on her," Beka decided and checked her gun was holstered before heading after Doyle, and the rest of them followed, knowing they were all about to walk into a trap that could be deadly.

* * *

Harper held his ribs tightly as he tried to stop himself coughing, but it was no use and he knew his old condition was coming back with a vengeance. The situation he found himself in was dire, and he hoped for some form of breakthrough soon but since he'd told Dylan, he'd heard nothing from any of his old friends. He was hurting, and Harper knew he was sick, not just with a chest infection but the rash was slowly spreading up his arm again, and his concentration was suffering. He wasn't sure if it was the illness taking him again, or just the countless blows to the head he had received in the past week, but he knew he was suffering.

"Hey, Harper," Lucas entered the room. "Need your help out here."

Harper couldn't stifle the coughing fit any longer and despite the pain, he started coughing and felt himself fall to his knees with the pain, as he struggled to stop the coughs.

"Come on," Lucas was now by his side. "Don't die on me now, I need your help, we have customers, expected customers, the ones we've been waiting for, it's nearly over," Lucas stated.

"Who?" Harper gasped wearily.

"Your friends, a little late but you did it, and they're here now," Lucas informed him.

"What?" Harper showed his confusion before dragging himself up. Before he could reach the bar to see for himself the two goons appeared, and they were carrying something that he knew were the explosives, disguised as two innocent bottles of wine, he knew this because he had designed and built them under their watchful eye.

"Lucas, discreetly warn our valued customers to vacate the premises," the goon holding the bomb advised before turning to Harper. "And you keep your friends busy, make sure they don't leave."

"What?" Harper eyed the bomb, racking his brains to try and figure a better plan but nothing was coming forward, he felt tired and was not ready for this.

"Give them this, compliments of you, the owner," the goon spoke knowingly, as he handed Harper the bottle. The second goon then produced a fire arm and pointed it at Harper.

"No funny business," the second goon warned, and reluctantly Harper moved away with the bottle in his hands, and entered the bar.

Seeing his friends, Harper headed towards their table feeling weak and useless as he approached. The illness and his situation catching up with him, as he continued to draw a blank, it was as if his mind had shut down and there were no more ideas to be found.

"Harper!" Doyle exclaimed on seeing him, taking Harper by surprise as she rushed up to him and embraced him tightly.

"Doyle," Harper acknowledged and returned the hug, knowing he was being watched. "I've erm, missed you a lot," he offered, as she pulled away.

"Is this for me?" Doyle asked excitedly, as she took the bottle from him.

"For all of you," Harper gestured as he stepped forward and acknowledge the others sat at the table.

"Bomb right," Doyle spoke under her breath, having analysed the bottle quickly, and Harper briefly nodded. "Leave it with me."

"Harper, are you ok, you're not looking too good," Beka stood up next and took a good look at her friend.

"I'm ok," Harper lied, and then accepted her brief embrace. "Have you found," he paused and took a moment, as his memory failed him. "Crap, you know," he prompted and slightly panicked before it came back to him. "Kalika?" he finally asked.

"No, sorry," Beka whispered before tensing up. "Did you forget her name? Oh god, Harper," Beka made the realisation and then grabbed his arm for the confirmation.

Harper's face fell on hearing the news that they had failed and he barely registered Beka's fresh concern for him, instead he stared at Dylan with confusion who in turn was looking around noticing the emptying bar.

"There's a festival going on, for the locals," Harper hastily explained out loud. "Don't worry, they'll be back."

"Rhade take the ally, block any attempts to escape, Beka, Doyle with me, Harper, Trance is outside across the street, go!" Dylan then quickly ordered and they all got to their feet.

"What? No, what's going on?" Harper asked with panic, this wasn't good and he started to fear for the conclusion.

Doyle waited for Beka and Dylan to go ahead and then took hold of Harper, and showed him the bottle.

"I knew you'd figure it out," Harper offered, seeing the bomb had been deactivated.

"Change of plan, you're coming with me, Harper," Doyle simply said. "Come on."

"No, we have to stay," Harper demanded knowing what was at risk if he left, before suddenly finding himself swung around as Doyle intercepted a bullet intended for him, fired by the goons just as Beka and Dylan fired back.

"Come," Doyle insisted.

"Kalika, what about her?" Harper pleaded.

"Someone else is on that, don't worry," Doyle assured him. "Least I hope so," she said under her breath, that Harper didn't catch it. "Don't worry, they're safe, they always have been," Doyle assured him. "Right now, we have to leave."

She grabbed his arm and headed for the door but on leaving a volley of small rocks and stones bombarded them from the locals outside, one caught Harper high on the head and he immediately slumped with a groan into Doyle's arms. With no guarantee of safety leaving through the front door, Doyle headed back inside and saw they were now alone. The others had been led to the back rooms where they could hear the goons were still fighting back. She wondered what to do, with Harper semi-conscious in her hold and knew the only option was to continue the fight, with her escape effectively blocked by mad locals.

"Doyle," Harper murmured after a moment, as he begun to come around and Doyle helped him find his balance as he regained his senses. "I knew I forgot something, something important, there's a second device," he spoke with sudden shock, just before the whole bar shook and an explosion ripped through the room, and Doyle was knocked from her feet to the ground as the building collapsed around them.

* * *

Dust still hung in the air as Dylan wearily recovered consciousness, his mood brightened on seeing that the two goons they had been fighting were still out cold from the blast that had ripped through the building. Shakily getting to his feet, Dylan retrieved some rope from around some crates and tied the two guys up that had been using Harper as a punch bag for the past couple of weeks.

"Dylan?" Beka opened her eyes and then groaned.

"I'm right here," Dylan spoke as he moved to her side and he checked for injuries. "Are you ok to stand?"

"Yeah, just a little dazed," Beka offered as she moved to a sitting position. "I take it that blast was intended for us?"

"I would assume so," Dylan agreed and then sighed. "And I guess Doyle had different plans."

"Yeah, what was with that?" Beka shook her head to try and clear the fog. "I swear if she does anything to Harper, I just hope she kept to the plan and she just ensured Harper met up with Trance."

"Right now I don't know what to think," Dylan admitted.

"Dylan, Beka?"

"We're here, Rhade," Dylan called out as Rhade and Trance entered the back room.

"Wow, lucky escape, this is the only part of the building still standing, the bar has collapsed," Rhade offered, looking around.

"Where's Harper and Doyle?" Trance looked around with concern.

"Didn't they meet with you guys?" Beka was suddenly alert.

"They tried but there was this group outside the bar, as soon as they tried to leave they bombarded them with rocks, I couldn't do anything to help," Trance feared.

"We never saw them come through here," Beka paused.

"Meaning they were in the bar," Dylan realised, and he got to his feet helping Beka the rest of the way.

"No," Beka was shaking her head.

"There was a secondary device, and Harper knew that," Another voice spoke up and they recognised it as Lucas, who was lying in the corner looking dazed. "He should have come through here, why didn't he?"

"He forgot," Beka spoke in barely a whisper. "The virus, it's come back and he must have forgot, why else didn't we see him?"

"There was a good thirty seconds between me seeing them return the to bar and it exploding, if they had run they should have made it back here with no problem," Trance supported.

"What about my family?" Lucas now offered, sounding in despair.

Trance moved to Lucas's side, seeing he had a large gash to his head. "We will find your family, don't worry," she inspected the wound. "I should take Lucas back to the Maru and fix this," she motioned and as she helped Lucas to his feet with no protests from the others, she stopped and froze for a moment. "You still have time," she announced.

"What?" Rhade asked, not getting the last part.

"Harper, there's still time," Trance stated with uncertainty. "Don't ask me why, but I feel it."

"Good enough for me," Dylan declared. "Let's at least try to recover him and Doyle, if nothing else."

"Right behind you," Beka agreed and Rhade followed them outside to begin their rescue bid.

TBC


	23. Chapter 23

Part 23

Harper groaned and opening his eyes did nothing to help him determine what had happened. It was pitch black, and he felt a huge weight on top of him as he tried to remember, but nothing was coming to mind. He felt tired, and could hear himself breathing, feeling clogged up and restricted. Unable to move, Harper instead gave into sleep, not knowing why he was in the position he found himself in.

* * *

"It's Doyle!" Rhade yelled, and worked harder to remove the masonry that had fallen around her, with Dylan's help. As they freed her body, she was unresponsive and clearly in need of some repair.

"If it's done this to Doyle," Rhade remarked.

"Don't!" Beka snapped, not needing to be told as they moved Doyle to the clearing outside the wrecked building.

There was a gasp from the gathered Seefrians and Dylan looked knowingly at Rhade and Beka, they had finally figured out that she wasn't human. Ignoring their shock, Dylan looked around the rubble close to where they had found Doyle, knowing Harper must be near, and at the same time fearing what they would find.

"There!" Beka suddenly pointed to a spot close to where Doyle had been found. It was by what had been an exterior wall, and was built up more than the surrounding area. "He has to be under there," she determined and began to throw the rocks away.

"Be careful, just in case," Dylan reminded her, and she continued with more care to remove the stones that had once formed the building's structure.

"Hey!"

Beka and Dylan stopped and turned, finding a small group of Seefrians stood by the edge of the rubble.

"What?" Dylan asked.

"What the hell is going on with you people?"

Dylan frowned as looked at Beka, and then addressed them. "We're kind of busy right now."

"You will stop this, I don't know what freaks you are but we've seen enough," the man continued, and the piece of timber he was holding, was now being brandished like a weapon.

"Seriously, we don't have time for this, our friend is under here and needs our help," Dylan insisted.

"That freaky guy with the thing in his neck, we say let him die, let him be as a lesson to those who mess with technology, it only kills you in the end," the man goaded and Beka instantly drew her weapon and powered it up.

"Wanna see messing with technology up close, I could introduce you to my gun," Beka sneered with anger.

"Beka," Dylan snapped and put his arm out to prevent her following through before turning back to the guy making the genuine threats. "This man you're condemning so easily is our friend, regardless of your prejudices we will help him," Dylan stated.

"Don't mess with us, we've all had a really bad couple of weeks," Rhade supported as he edged closer.

The man turned to his supporters, who were all now brandishing makeshift weapons, as they edged closer. "We want you people gone, you're nothing but trouble and we no longer want you around here."

"This planet is under threat from your own sun, in days you will perish but if you let us continue we can save this planet, and your system, but we need the guy who is currently in need of our help under here to achieve that," Dylan insisted firmly.

"The whole building collapsed on him, he's as good as dead already," the man mocked. "And we don't want your help."

"That can be easily arranged," Rhade remarked. "Means we just get out of this crappy system that little bit sooner, without the heroics," he added happily.

"We will help you, if you let us be," Dylan stated.

The man turned to his people, who all remained where they were. "I'm a decent guy, you have thirty minutes to find your friend, and get your butts off of my planet, understand?"

"Understood, we'll be gone in twenty," Dylan confidently predicted. "Let's hope Harper is under here," Dylan remarked to Beka and Rhade, as they swiftly turned and continued their work.

* * *

"I need to find them," Lucas panicked, as Trance attempted to clean the wound on his head. "They'll kill them, I don't know what I'll do if they die, they can't die because of him, no more deaths because of him!"

"I suggest you try and calm down," Trance calmly asked, as she tended his cut with care.

"I've tried calm and co-operation yet the outcome appears to be the same, your friend has got innocent people killed," Lucas stressed.

"Harper is not a bad person," Trance spoke softly but without emotion as she concentrated on cleaning his wound.

"He goaded those tech police, the ones holding us hostage in the bar," Lucas began. "All he had to do was co-operate and everything would have been fine," he stressed.

"But we would be dead; do you think a good man would willingly allow his friends to die for no reason?" Trance questioned, stopping for a moment and suddenly Lucas looked uneasy.

"No, I mean, I know there were other lives at stake but," Lucas hesitated. "I just want to see my family again, my kids, wife and my sister."

"I understand that and we will do what we can to help you, I promise," Trance insisted.

"Every day they beat him, everyday he took it," Lucas looked distant now. "And then the virus flared up again, and that cough," he frowned. "Do you really think he could survive that blast?"

"It's not Harper's time," Trance simply answered. "Don't ask me to explain," she then offered after a moment's thought.

"What makes this so much worse for me is that in that time I had to work alongside the man I intended to kill, and I actually grew to like him, to give a damn, and I understood why my sister likes him, I know they could be happy," Lucas sighed heavily. "It'll be tough killing him now if my family die because of him."

"There are people who would ensure you do not get the chance to harm Harper, that will be your only warning," Trance stated firmly, and finished off bandaging Lucas's head.

"Yeah, well, I doubt I could do it now, not now I accept that he could be good for my sister," Lucas frowned and then saw the confused expression on Trance. "I think they're an item."

"Kalika and Harper?" Trance checked she understood correctly, and Lucas nodded his head. "That could prove interesting."

"If you say so," Lucas seemed less impressed.

"We should go check on the others," Trance then indicated.

* * *

Harper woke with a start, as he snapped his eyes open and he could hear people nearby, their voices muffled. The weight was still on top of him, painfully so, but he could see random shafts of light around him.

"Help," Harper gasped, and realised he could barely hear himself let alone be heard by the rescuers. Taking a deep breath Harper yelled as much as his hoarse throat allowed, and suddenly he heard a flurry of activity above. Taking a deep breath as sudden pain hit him, Harper tensed as a large piece of masonry was finally lifted, and light flooded his sight, blinding him. As he tried to blink the pain away, and focus, he felt the number of stones being moved from about his person, and the fresh air of the Seefra day.

"This chair saved him!"

"He was smart to move under the table, and lucky that the chair didn't break under the impact of this wall collapsing."

"Beka, Dylan," Harper gasped, recognising the voices but still his eyes hurt too much to open them.

"Seamus," Beka's voice was closer now as she put a hand on his back. "Can you move? Can you feel your limbs?"

"Yeah," Harper confirmed, and flexed his hands to show her before moving gingerly and ignoring the short sharp pains of cuts and bruises that now covered him.

"You've looked better," Beka offered, as she helped Harper to a sitting position. "Can you open your eyes?"

"Hurts," Harper grimaced, but tried again. "Too bright," he stressed and then froze. "Not again, I don't want to be blind again," he panicked.

"It's ok, it's bright out here, it's probably just temporary, and there's no gas leaks," she smiled, remembering the first time on board the Maru when he had suffered blindness. "Relax, we need to get you cleaned up, you probably have some dust in there too."

Harper could feel the dust covering him, he felt hot and sore as Beka helped him to his feet. Double checking all his limbs were intact before they attempted to move, Beka took some of Harper's weight and they gingerly stepped over the rubble and out into the street.

The crowd instantly began shouting, and they all knew they were no longer welcome on Seefra, but then Harper stopped as he remembered Doyle and panicked.

"Doyle?" Harper asked.

"We found her first, she's shut down but we found her," Beka quickly assured him, knowing Harper was keeping his eyes shut and wouldn't have seen her.

"We'll take her back with us, maybe when you're feeling more up to it you can help her?" Dylan offered, as Rhade picked up the android body and they began to walk away towards the Maru.

"Harper!" Trance's voice suddenly sounded. "You're hurt," she noted.

"A building collapsing on top of him would probably have caused that," Rhade remarked, as he moved past with Doyle.

"I'm fine, just a few scrapes," Harper offered, trying to ignore the sharp pains he felt.

"Where's my family!" Lucas was now heard and Harper panicked, as his fears caught up with him.

"Kalika, we have to find her," Harper stressed, and tried to push away from Beka.

"Not until you've been cleaned up and had some rest," Beka argued, reaffirming her hold on Harper.

"No time," Harper stressed and then paused, as Beka got a firm grip on him again for his own safety. "Doyle said something," he concentrated but his memories gave him no more. "She said something, reassuring, like she knew they were ok," he was confused now and angered by his own forgetfulness.

"What did she say?" Lucas demanded and grabbed hold of Harper, surprising Beka as Harper was taken from her hold. "Tell me!" he demanded, dragging Harper with him.

"I don't remember!" Harper stressed unsure. "Have to reactivate Doyle, she knows," he stammered.

"You can't even open your eyes, how are you going to fix that thing?" Lucas dismissed and pushed Harper away, and Beka quickly ensured Harper did fall as she took hold of him again.

"She's not a thing," Harper stressed under his breath, as he tried to regain his balance in Beka's hold. "She knows where they are," he insisted, knowing Beka was listening.

"If she did, she didn't let on to us that she knew," Beka returned calmly.

"And she was helping me find them, I don't think she knows, Mr Harper," Dylan supported.

"When she was helping you, did you find them?" Harper questioned.

Dylan hesitated. "You know we didn't."

"Doyle is not Rommie," Harper simply stated, and then heard the silence around him. "She doesn't have the good protocol as standard, she's not Commonwealth, she has her own mind, own objectives I built her that way so she wouldn't get blown up following orders that she couldn't question," Harper stated, and felt Beka pull him in closer to her.

"Rommie did not die needlessly, Harper," Beka spoke softly, with reassurance. "She died doing something she believed in."

"Something she was programmed to believe in," Harper returned coldly. "Doyle's not like that, Doyle has the ability to do her own thing, because I didn't want that responsibility."

"Is that why she has the ability to hate you, to seek revenge?" Dylan asked.

"She has the right," Harper simply answered.

"So are you saying that Doyle has deceived us, and that was your will?" Dylan now questioned.

"She has her own mind, and that's her own will," Harper answered, his eyes still closed hiding any emotions he was expressing.

"My sister, my wife and my kids are still missing and discussing the ins and outs of this lunatics mind is not helping," Lucas sneered.

"Trance, assist Harper and return to the Maru with Lucas, Beka with me, lets go and retrieve the two goons, they should be awake by now, and we need answers, Rhade take Doyle back and then come and join us in case the crowd get hungry," Dylan ordered and with reluctance, Beka handed Harper over to the care of Trance before following Dylan back towards the bar, knowing they had to be quick before they completely outstayed their welcome.

* * *

"Harper, are you ok?" Trance's voice could just be heard above the sound of the water, coming from outside Harper's little private haven.

"Mmmm," Harper returned, as the soothing water washed over him in the shower cubicle on board the Maru. The dust and dirt from his ordeal disappeared down the drain, and Harper finally began to feel a little more human. He hit the water supply switch and instantly it stopped before he then reached out to grab a towel and left the cubicle. Finding a larger towel he wrapped that around his shoulders and proceeded to the quarters where Trance was waiting for him.

"I was getting worried," Trance spoke up.

"I had a lot to wash off," Harper mumbled, his eyes still squinting even in the low light.

"Let me look at your eyes," Trance offered and gestured to Harper to sit down on the bunk. "Look up for me," Trance ordered and Harper felt the stinging sensation of some eye drops being administered and he quickly closed his eyes again. "Blink some more, then try and open them." Harper complied and still found he was squinting. Trance took a closer look but could see no dirt or obstructions. "Give it a few minutes for the drops to work," she suggested.

Harper grimaced as Trance began to clean a wound on the side of his head, blood already staining his hair even after the shower. Trance didn't speak as she quietly closed the wound and moved onto other areas around Harper's head, before moving behind him to check his neck and shoulders.

"You're quiet," Harper observed to break the silence.

"You have a lot of cuts," Trance simply returned, and Harper could feel her working on his back and tried not to flinch. "What is this, Harper?" Trance's voice was suddenly alert and concerned.

Harper could feel Trance's hands on his arm now. "What?" he asked and through narrowed eyes he turned to see her bring his arm up to her face to look more closely at the rash of the illness that had flared up again.

"This rash, it's spreading, what is this?" Trance questioned.

"What do you mean?" Harper checked unsure. "You know what is it," he stated and blinked his eyes some more, as his sight began to adjust to the light.

Trance in that instant looked directly at him, and Harper took a short intake of breath. "You're not Trance, who the hell are you?" he questioned with fear backing away, just before he was struck and knocked unconscious.

TBC


	24. Chapter 24

Part 24

Beka walked along the walkway of the Maru towards the cockpit and stopped on seeing Trance preparing some food. She smiled as she approached, seeing the care Trance was taking, knowing it was for Harper.

"How's the patient, has he woken yet?" Beka casually asked.

"He's still sleeping, I will be waking him soon so he can eat, you can see him if you want," Trance smiled back.

"I'm about to head out, Dylan's got a lead on the missing people so we need to check it out," Beka seemed disappointed. "I always seem to be doing other things when he wakes."

"I'm sure he'll be on his feet soon," Trance offered.

"He must have suffered some shock when he got back here, he seemed surprisingly mobile when we dug him out the rubble," Beka remembered with an air of confusion.

"He's suffering from the rash and his cough too, it was probably just adrenalin of the rescue that let him make it to the Maru before he crashed," Trance suggested thoughtfully.

Beka nodded her head. "Yeah, makes sense, but we could sure use his help to get Doyle operational again, if what he said was true that she knows where our missing people are, we're running out of time to find Kalika and the others."

"I wish I felt something, but I have nothing," Trance appeared sad.

"Just concentrate on getting Harper back on his feet," Beka requested, and heard Rhade call her name. "I better go, and tell Harper I said hi and see if you can't get him to stay awake a little longer so I can speak to him when we return."

"I'll see what I can do," Trance took the bowl of food and watched as Beka left, before slowly moving towards the crew quarters to where Harper was sleeping. Putting the bowl down next to his cot, Trance pulled out a med spray and pressed it to Harper's neck. Moments later Harper awoke with a start and stared wide eye at Trance.

"Time to eat," Trance smiled, and Harper just stared at her unsure. "Your rash is proceeding nicely," she noted seeing it had now covered his shoulder and was fast approaching his neck and face. "Do you still remember who you are?"

Harper closed his eyes, and attempted to control his breathing for a moment. "I'm Harper, but who the hell are you?"

"Feisty, you still remember enough, shame, I was hoping I wouldn't have to knock you out again," Trance frowned. "However I think its time to restrain you, your illness is making you prone to anger, right?"

"It's not the illness," Harper sneered through the grogginess of the drugs Trance had been filling him with. "You can't keep knocking me out, they'll find out," he stressed defiantly. "Just tell me where the real Trance is, what have you done to her!"

"How do you know I am not her?" Trance asked, as she moved to the side and retrieved a box of rigging equipment from a side store.

"I just know, and you wouldn't be knocking me out every five minutes if you were her," Harper returned, and he tried to back away, his back hitting the wall that his cot rested against. Harper could only watch with the fear as the fake Trance slowly approach with a length of cord in her hands.

"I am Trance," Trance responded with menace.

"A hellish freakish Trance maybe but not my Trance," Harper returned with force and then heard noise from another part of the Maru, and he guessed it was the others. "HELP!" Harper began yelling loudly, enough that they would hear.

Trance momentarily panicked, having thought the others would have left the ship by now but thinking quickly she fell to the ground just before the others came sprinting to the crew quarters.

"We must restrain him, the illness, it's bad, Beka," Trance stammered and gave the impression that Harper had been the cause of her now being on the floor.

"No!" Harper stressed, as Rhade and Dylan immediately approached. "That's not Trance! She's knocking me out, she's not Trance," he insisted manically, and started to dodge any attempts to restrain him. "Listen to me, that's not Trance!"

"The rash has spread since last night," Rhade pointed out looking at Harper.

"I'm ok, I know who I am but who the hell is she!" Harper gestured to Trance, who was now being helped to her feet by Beka.

"It's ok, Harper, you're disorientated, it's the illness not Trance," Dylan calmly spoke.

"It's not the illness," Harper began to get a sinking feeling that Trance had conned them, and he knew his appearance wasn't helping his case feeling the perspiration that covered him. Taking some calming breaths, Harper looked at Beka with care. "I'm Seamus Harper, and I know I'm forgetting things, I know the illness is taking hold but I'd never forget my Trance, and that isn't her!"

"He's delirious, Dylan, we need to restrain him for his own safety," Trance stressed now, looking worried.

"We should restrain him," Beka spoke with care. "For his own safety, Rhade, go and make Trance her favourite drink, she needs to sit down for five minutes after her shock."

"I'm not leaving," Trance refused.

"Trance, we need to get Harper comfortable for his own safety and your presence is disturbing him, please?" Beka stated.

"Go Trance, Rhade will look after you," Dylan supported and Rhade gestured to Trance to follow him, and with reluctance the golden alien left them.

Harper waited until Trance was clear of the room before lowering his voice. "Please, you have to believe me," Harper stressed.

"Why don't you think that's Trance?" Dylan asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Harper returned and saw they both wanted more and he calmed down enough to compose an answer. "How many times have I been treated by Trance, it may have been three years since the last time but I never forgot her warmth and her special care," Harper stated seriously. "Trust me, that's not Trance, she's all wrong," he stated. "She knocked me out, I don't even know how long I've been here but she keeps knocking me out so I won't speak, she's up to something, please believe me."

Beka and Dylan simply looked at each other and with a brief nod of their heads they both took Harper by surprise and began to restrain him. Immediately Harper protested loudly, and struggled against their actions.

"That's it Harper, keep objecting and loudly but listen to me," Dylan whispered and Harper continued to struggle. "We've suspected the same about Trance, we just had no proof, we don't want her thinking we've cottoned onto her, so I'm sorry but we need to restrain you to play along," Dylan hurriedly explained as Harper caught on quickly and continued to yell out, fighting the restraints.

"Just don't hurt yourself," Beka added with concern, once she'd secured his feet to the bed frame.

"Don't leave me with her, please?" Harper momentarily panicked.

"If one of us stays now, she might suspect that we know," Dylan frowned.

"Great, you know I'm getting tired of this habit you've picked up of leaving me in dangerous situations, first Seefra, then the bar, now this," Harper sneered.

"Harper, as soon as we've found the others we will then look for Trance but we can't leave Seefra until we find Kalika, she has the only cure that can save you," Beka said with sadness.

"Don't worry about me, find Trance," Harper begged.

Beka looked sadly at Harper, and then to Dylan. "He's delirious, let's go find Kalika," she stated, and then moved past Dylan leaving the room.

"We won't be long," Dylan promised.

"Don't leave me," Harper attempted once again.

"She may not be our Trance, but she won't do anything stupid," Dylan stated quietly.

"You keep saying I'm the final piece in the puzzle for you leaving this system, you remember that system that's collapsing around us," Harper mocked with anger. "Now I know I'm slowly losing my mind again but if her intentions are bad, and she's replaced Trance, then how the hell do you figure she won't do anything stupid and involve me in that stupid plan?" he sneered.

"Rock and a hard place, Harper, we can't afford to let her know we're onto her, for Trance's sake," Dylan simply said and his expression showed what a difficult decision he was making.

Harper relaxed, conceding to his words. "I'll try to stay alive then," he simply said, looking away. "For Trance," he added quietly. "My Trance."

"We'd appreciate that effort, and I promise I will do everything in my power to ensure we all leave this system in one piece, all of us," Dylan stated.

"You've broken promises before Dylan, and at my expense," Harper returned without emotion.

"Then I owe you this one," Dylan simply responded before leaving the room.

* * *

"Eight days? I leave it in his care for eight days and," Sembler was speechless as he surveyed the site where his bar once stood.

"Come on, are you surprised?" Nat asked.

"Actually yes, this rubble used to be a building that used to be my bar!" Sembler raged, and then jumped onto the rubble to begin moving the rocks. "I need it, where is it? If its destroyed its going to put a real dent in my friendship with Harper," Sembler then fussed.

Nat rolled her eyes. "Forget that dumb picture, Semb," she stressed, and then paused. "Hey, Semb, we have company."

"Huh?" Sembler spun around and saw Dylan Hunt, Beka Valentine and Telemachus Rhade heading their way. "Crap."

"Took the words right out of my mouth," Nat frowned, knowing they had already been spotted.

"Sembler?" Rhade spoke up as they approached. "What the hell, I thought you'd done a runner!" he exclaimed as he navigated over the rocks and embraced his old pal.

"Rhade," Sembler returned as he pulled from the embrace. "What the hell happened here?"

"Harper," Rhade simply answered.

"Right," Sembler looked at Nat. "Where is the little scamp, he owes me a bar."

"You put a kludge in charge, you should expect nothing less," Rhade offered looking around.

"Why did you give the bar to Harper?" Dylan now stepped forward. "And where did you go?"

"I felt he deserved a break, but it seems others didn't," Sembler looked around at the rubble. "I went out of town, a retreat of sorts."

"What about you?" Beka asked as she moved closer to Nat.

"I met up with Sembler as he was leaving, decided to tag along," Nat shrugged. "We all need spiritual cleansing at one time or another."

"So what's going on, where's Harper and why did this happen?" Sembler asked.

"The tech police were trying to get revenge on us for what we did," Beka answered.

"No surprise they targeted my bar then, considering I hosted the celebration party for their destruction," Sembler remarked. "Is Harper ok?"

"Not exactly, and we should be heading back," Dylan gestured to Rhade and Beka. "Our tip off hasn't amounted to anything."

"Tip off?" Nat questioned.

"We heard word that we might find answers if we visited the bar again," Beka responded casually. "But all we've found is you."

"Two people who disappeared just before all this crap happened, who just gave Harper a bar, giving him a place to go when he had no where else," Rhade remarked, and his tone caught Dylan and Beka's attention.

"Hey, what are you suggesting?" Sembler smiled nervously.

"That maybe our tip off wasn't a waste of time," Rhade remarked.

"I had nothing to do with this," Sembler returned.

"He didn't, what is this?" Nat defended.

"If that's true you'll have no problems with coming back to the Maru with us, I'm sure you're worried about Harper, I mean you cared enough to give him your bar," Beka challenged.

"Sure," Sembler agreed a little flustered, and Nat nodded her head next to him.

"Or just tell us where they are, so we can get the hell off this rock and try and save this sorry planet," Rhade stated, moving beside Sembler who suddenly felt threatened by the Neitzschean.

"Where who are?" Sembler gasped.

Nat looked at the three people in turn, finishing with Rhade and then frowned. "Give it up Semb, they already know," she offered. "Didn't you say you wanted this to end, well this is our chance, let's end it."

"What do you mean?" Beka asked.

"You want the women and children? Then follow me," Nat gestured.

"Nat!" Sembler stressed.

"Sembler it's over, you've lost the bar and respect, lets at least do something right," Nat responded and began to walk.

* * *

Harper felt vulnerable in the position he'd been left, and silently struggled against his restraints. His mind felt fuzzy and his skin hot, the rash was spreading and he could almost feel the effects of the illness slowly taking hold. To add to his worries, Trance finally appeared at the door and walked towards him.

"You really thought you'd be able to convince them over me?" Trance asked bitterly.

"Had to try," Harper returned, and renewed his efforts to free himself.

"You've only succeeded in making sure they never listen to any word you speak again," Trance goaded, as she placed her hand on Harper's bare chest and immediately the human grimaced. "They need you that much is true, just as they need Trance but they are too stupid to realise how close they are to losing you both."

"So Trance is still alive?" Harper gasped with the realisation, and Trance noticeably flinched, realising her error.

"Not for much longer, you are both travelling along a path fraught with danger," Trance smiled, and it made Harper shiver, as her hand stroked his collar bone and then down over his heart and she began to press down.

It took a moment for the discomfort to register, as Harper felt the pressure begin to impede and he struggled not to react, feeling as though his heart was being squashed. He then screamed out on hearing a bone crack, and moments later the pain registered but Trance stopped and smiled. "Marika was right, you do enjoy the pain."

"What?" Harper gasped, surprised by the mention of Marika's name. "Go to hell, ah, wait you're already here," he stressed through gritted teeth, wishing the others would return already and he tried to struggle but the pain in his shoulder and chest beat him.

"You will soon be consumed by the illness," Trance confidently spoke.

"I don't think so," Harper returned suddenly, and his breathing quickened as his brain went into overdrive. "It's all in my head," he stressed.

"Madness usually is," Trance half smiled.

"No, you're telling me I'm going to be ill, I see the rash and I've believed it but I should be screaming and ranting by now," Harper realised with renewed hope. "Only the rash has come back, not the illness!"

"I figured you to be smart, I'm almost impressed," Trance stated. "Pity for you that your friends are not so smart," she added. "When they return, they won't be surprised if you're a gibbering wreck of a being." Harper tensed suddenly afraid of the look Trance was giving him. "I want to show you something, and it's going to drive you insane."

"No," Harper repeated and shook his head as her hand rested on his forehead. Harper tensed up and screamed as his conscious was suddenly flooded with images of people, men, women and children screaming and running for cover, chaos overwhelmed him and all he could see was destruction and panic and then he realised he was home, his home in Boston moments before everything exploded around him and then nothing, everything was gone and there was only silence where moments earlier screams could be heard.

Taking some shaky breaths, Harper opened his eyes on realising Trance had long since removed her hand, he stared at Trance and was consumed once more by the images he had seen.

"Welcome to your future, I hope you enjoy the ride," Trance simply spoke leaving Harper wide eyed and in shock, alone with his tortured thoughts.

TBC


	25. Chapter 25

Part 25

They had walked for nearly half an hour before finally they reached an abandoned cave on the outskirts of the town. Nat stopped and Sembler moved to her side, as she gestured to the opening. "They are in there," she simply motioned.

"Why?" Dylan asked.

Sembler seemed to be struggling for an answer knowing he had let himself down, and could only shrug before finally responding. "They, those who were tech police, they found out about my desire to help Harper, to give him my bar and," he paused. "It all happened so quickly, I thought I'd be stronger but I was given like five minutes and I couldn't do it, I couldn't fight them."

"The tech police?" Beka checked.

"Yeah," Nat answered for Sembler. "Look, we didn't want to be involved in this mess, but after we held the celebrations for the destruction of the tech police in Sembler's bar things got serious," she explained. "We pointed them in Lucas's direction, we knew he was connected to Dylan, and we hoped it would deflect from us but then Harper goes and makes friends with his sister, and then brings her to our bar," she stressed.

"He signed his own troubles by coming to the bar, if he'd of just stayed out of sight we might have got away with it," Sembler stated.

Nat moved forward. "From what I can tell the tech police were following Lucas to see if he contacted you," Nat gestured to Dylan. "Turns out he visits his sister and moments later Harper is seen leaving with her to go to the Oasis, the tech guys lean on Lucas and we're contacted seconds before Harper arrives and ordered to give Harper the bar and then meet at the house."

"But Harper didn't take the bar immediately, he gave it to Doyle to look after," Beka remembered what she had been told.

"We were in the back rooms of the house when Harper showed up at the door with Kalika, we saw through the window how they felt for each other," Sembler sighed and looked troubled. "We were then summoned to take the women and children and hide them till further notice, we never got further notice, it was only today that we figured that maybe things had happened and I find my bars been flattened."

"So Kalika and the others are in there?" Rhade stated.

"Safe and well, we looked after them best we could, let us take you," Nat offered and the group ventured into the cave.

* * *

"What was that?"

"You'll find out soon enough," Trance answered.

"I can't get it out of my head," Harper looked blankly ahead, still restrained and unable to move. "So quiet, and yet so noisy," he stressed and then clenched his eyes shut. "I want to think of something else but I can't!" he tried to fight the restraints in a bid to cause a distraction but it was failing to work, and the pain was not longer registering.

Trance looked to one side, satisfied with her work on Harper, but now hearing voices returning. She got to her feet and before she reached the door Beka was there, having run through the ship to check on Harper.

"Is he awake?"

"I'm sorry, the illness has taken hold," Trance offered, and Beka saw the twisted features of her friend lying on the cot, as he fought the restraints.

"Oh no," Beka moved forward and Trance moved back as a stranger appeared, one she didn't recognise.

"How has this happened? The illness shouldn't have returned with such force, just the rash should have returned."

"Help him, Kalika, please," Beka asked with desperation.

"This makes no sense," Kalika fussed and looked at Trance. "How long has he been like this?"

"About twenty minutes or so," Trance offered.

"Trance, can you go and check on Lucas's children, they are traumatised by their ordeal and need a friend," Beka then requested, and left Trance little option but to comply.

"Of course," Trance left them alone.

"Could she have done this to him?" Beka asked in a whisper to Kalika.

"I thought Trance was trusted?" Kalika showed her confusion.

"Trance is, but that's not Trance, Harper has more or less confirmed our fears but we had to leave him alone with her to find you, and we fear what she's capable of if she suspects that we suspect her," Beka stressed.

Kalika returned her attentions to Harper. "He doesn't need to be restrained, we should free him."

"We can't," Beka stopped her with a heavy heart. "We have to play along with that Trance, for now."

"He's injured," Kalika gestured to his shoulder and the purple bruise across his chest. "This is a recent injury," she lightly brushed Harper's chest.

Beka closed her eyes, and composed her feelings. "It will only be for a short while," she stressed. "I hate this as much as you trust me, but I don't want her to do anything more drastic and I think she's more than capable, so just tell me why he isn't responding to us?"

"Harper?" Kalika spoke softly. "Seamus."

Harper stirred and then groaned, but when Beka repeated his name he tensed and fought the restraints once again.

"Seamus, stop, it's safe now we're here, you won't be left alone again," Beka insisted. "We found Kalika, please, respond to us."

Harper continued to struggle, seemingly lost to some torment they couldn't understand.

"The illness was still inside him, but it had been greatly weakened, all he should have suffered with the rash coming back was some mild absent mindedness, not this," Kalika insisted with concern. "This feels different, something else is causing this."

"Can you help him?" Beka asked. "Again?" she added with hope.

"I have the oil, I never let it out of my sight," Kalika retrieved the bottle from her pocket, and rapidly began to apply it to the affected areas on Harper's arm, shoulder and neck. "He's been through the wars since I last seen him," Kalika noted the cuts and bruises that covered Harper.

"He's had a tough few days," Beka supported. "But so have you, must have been awful to be separated like you were, and held hostage."

"I missed him like crazy, and I feared the worse when no one came for us," Kalika admitted heavily.

"Are you two?" Beka ventured.

"No, no," Kalika was quick to dismiss. "At least, not really, maybe, had we not been separated I think things were progressing," Kalika smiled fondly, as she finished up with the oil. "Hopefully that is enough to put the rash into retreat again."

Harper quietly moaned, and then blinked his eyes. "No, no, not again," Harper gasped at unseen images in his mind.

"Harper, it's me Beka, come on, look at me," Beka ordered but Harper rolled his eyes and fell unconscious once again.

"I hope we find your Trance soon, I want to be able to help Harper and being on this ship, like this, is not helping him," Kalika warned, and Beka knew she was speaking some truth, hating how the Maru had recently become a nightmare in its own right for Harper.

* * *

The Andromeda felt cold and huge to how Beka remembered it as she walked along the eerily quiet corridors, the ship still was not up to full power. Feeling a little lost, Beka knew she had to stay focused, knowing Dylan and Rhade were on their own mission to find their missing crew mate and she hoped they would find the genuine Trance, so they could finally get rid of whoever was in Trance's place.

"Beka."

Beka jumped as the impostor Trance appeared at the junction just ahead of her. Trying not to show any fear or uncertainly, Beka smiled. "Hey Trance."

"Where have Dylan and Rhade gone?" Trance asked.

"We received a distress call via the Maru's systems, they are responding," Beka offered a pre-planned strategy to keep Trance off the scent.

"Is now a good time for Dylan to play heroics, we're running out of time," Trance offered.

"Dylan is well aware of the risks," Beka simply answered as Trance walked beside her.

"Can we trust Kalika with Harper?" Trance then asked. "She's not qualified."

"She's more than qualified in dealing with the illness," Beka returned. "More so than us."

"They are an item," Trance then offered.

"What?" Beka looked at Trance.

"Harper and Kalika, they are involved," Trance spoke without emotion and Beka grew a little concerned by Trance's interest in this development.

"Kalika didn't give me that impression," Beka answered cautiously, still intrigued by Trance mentioning it.

"She knows your own feelings for Harper," Trance gave Beka a side ways glance.

"What?" Beka questioned. "I love Harper, but not like that." Trance just frowned, but didn't speak. "What are you trying to say?"

"I'm just pointing out why Kalika may have chosen to remain quiet about their relationship," Trance offered innocently.

"It doesn't matter to me, so long as Harper is happy," Beka stated.

"Kalika is not from our world, and she has family here, Harper has nothing to go back to," Trance idly spoke.

"Harper won't stay in Seefra," Beka returned.

"If he had a reason to," Trance offered. "He chose to stay with Marika when given the choice," she added knowingly.

"Just stop, ok, we don't know so just," Beka paused. "Harper has plenty to return back to, and we can always accommodate Kalika's family on board, they will have very little here if they stay, we can offer them so much more."

"Harper grew up in hell but he never stopped loving that rock he was born on, could never let it go," Trance shrugged.

"I don't know what you're trying to tell me, but trust me, whatever it is it isn't going to happen," Beka stated.

"Good reason for them to keep their affair secret from you," Trance idly remarked. "I would hate for Harper to carry any regrets, suffer more pain or loss than he has done already in his life," she offered without explanation, and before Beka could respond she headed away towards command.

Beka stopped walking, knowing Trance was pushing her buttons but also concerned that maybe there was some truth in her words, maybe a warning, but it made no sense. Shaking her head, to clear her thoughts, Beka proceeded towards Harper's quarters hoping to pass off whatever Trance's game was in that moment.

* * *

Harper groaned but took some comfort from the cold water that Kalika brushed across his forehead, and then his face and neck. Since she had started to treat him again, Harper's temperature had been unusually high and continued to rise, but Kalika could find no reason for it.

"Seamus, can you hear me?" Kalika asked, as she soaked the top of his head that was already drenched in sweat.

"Mmmm," Harper murmured sounding in some discomfort from the heat he was feeling around him. "Hot," he gasped.

"I know, your temperature is high," Kalika acknowledged and then reached for the cold glass of water. Reaching for Harper's head she assisted him to drink some of the water. It pained her to see Harper was still being restrained, knowing he didn't have to be and it was simply for Trance's benefit. Kalika felt helpless, it was as if they were making Harper some strange sacrifice in a dangerous game and she wanted nothing more than to release him, and hold him.

Taking the glass of water away, she put it back on the table and felt the heat that radiating from Harper's body, as she lightly touched his forehead. "I don't know what's wrong, Seamus, you don't appear to have a fever."

"Trance," Harper gasped, as he fruitlessly struggled against his restraints, as if checking they were still keeping him there.

"Trance?" Kalika picked up. "What did she do?"

Whatever had been tormenting Harper for the past couple of days returned, as he appeared distracted and troubled, clenching his eyes shut. "I don't know what I'm seeing," he murmured with distress.

"Talk to me, Seamus," Kalika moved closer, edging onto the side of the cot so she was practically lying beside him, moving her head closer to his to listen.

"Trance," Harper managed again.

"What did she do?" Kalika was intrigued and concerned but Harper didn't say any more, almost as if he couldn't. With sadness, Kalika looked with care at Harper, so close but he seemed so far away again. She brushed the side of his face, still feeling how flush his skin was with his raised body temperature. "I will help you," Kalika whispered, and then lightly kissed Harper.

The unseen figure stepped back and out of the room, Beka took a deep breath having walked in on Kalika seemingly snuggled up alongside Harper, and then seeing the affectionate kiss. Composing herself, and trying to forget what Trance had said, Beka moved forward and returned to the room to find Kalika still lying beside Harper.

"Not disturbing anything am I?" Beka innocently asked.

"No," Kalika made no attempt to move from Harper's side, and looking quite comfortable. "His temperature is unusually high, but there's no illness or fever to justify it."

"How high?" Beka asked with concern.

"Twenty points higher than is considered normal for a being of his type," Kalika frowned. "Almost dangerously high, but just off of it so he's not at risk, it's as if it's been purposely raised to be high but not cause harm."

"What are you suggesting?"

"When I mentioned it to Harper, he returned with 'Trance," Kalika lowered her voice, aware that Trance could appear.

"Why would she do this?"

"To keep him ill, to keep him strapped pointlessly to this bed, we have to make a stand sooner rather than later," Kalika stressed.

"I get the feeling that Trance was goading me just now, maybe its time we did change our tactics, throw her games a little," Beka considered, and then moved to the foot of Harper's cot and began to loosen the restraints. "Are you sure he's ok?"

"Other than the high temperature, he doesn't have the illness that he had before, just the rash and that is responding to treatment," Kalika offered.

"Then on your advice, we let him return to work," Beka suggested.

Kalika needed no further cue to untie Harper's hands and rapidly released them, encouraging Harper to sit up as he became more aware of his freedom. "Hot," he wearily spoke, as his head rolled.

"Harper," Beka got his attention. "Go take a cold shower, freshen up and then meet me in Machine Shop nine, two lovely ladies are awaiting your attention," Beka stated.

"Rommie and Doyle?" Harper was quickly alert. "Am I well again?"

"We need you, Harper, and I think those two will be a nice re-introduction to your old job," Beka smiled.

Harper slowly nodded his head, as his focus returned and he responded to the sudden urgency of being called upon. Kalika helped him to his feet, and Beka watched as she took care to escort Harper towards the wash rooms, and the lack of complaint from Harper as she continued to assist him once the doors were closed. With a frown, and some uncertainty, Beka left them to it and decided to check on Trance to ensure she wasn't causing more trouble.

TBC


	26. Chapter 26

sorry it's taken so long to update! I'll be making a concerted effort to stop slacking... ;)

Part 26

Beka could watch him working forever if she had to, standing to one side out of the way as not to disturb Harper whilst he worked. Like days of old, Harper was back where he belonged and Beka didn't want to leave for fear of losing him again, not now he was back.

They were alone for the first time in a long while, just her and Harper in the machine shop, at least until Harper could get the two androids operational. Kalika had left them alone to check that her brother and his family were settling in ok on the ship, with none of them knowing where their future now lie, and secretly Beka feared Kalika and her brother might chose to stay in Seefra, her fears heightened by having seen her with Harper earlier. As she considered her fears, Beka knew they were unfounded, Harper would never stay in the Seefra system, not even for Kalika, this wasn't his world. Where they were going wasn't Kalika's either and she would have to be blind not to see there was something between Harper and Kalika, a bond that might not even be love, at least not yet.

"Hey," Harper's voice was loud, and snapped Beka out of her thoughts. "Finally, you were away with the fairies just then," Harper partially smirked. "I asked if you wanted to go and grab some food?"

Beka caught up with her senses and immediately moved towards Harper. "Sure, let's go," she responded, and walked with Harper towards the exit. "How's it going?"

"Rommie's pretty beat up, Doyle should be easy enough to fix," Harper answered calmly.

"How does it feel to be back?" Beka could see Harper was a little on edge, almost disbelieving that he was back on the decks of Andromeda.

"Like I've never been away," Harper shrugged and then winced at the sudden pain the movement caused in his shoulder.

Beka was about to comment when she became aware of someone ahead of them, and she already knew who it was.

"What are you doing?" Trance enquired. "Harper should be restrained, and in bed."

"You know I've always dreamed of Trance saying those words in that exact tone," Harper remarked dreamily.

"Not the time," Beka shot at him and glared at Trance, moving a little ahead of Harper protectively. "He's feeling better, we should rejoice at his amazing powers of recovery."

Trance slowly moved forward, her approach was almost sinister in execution. "You've decided he's ok, and not a threat?" she asked, looking at Harper. "That must mean you do not trust me."

"I trust you, but this isn't the first time Harper's bounced back, as you well know, Trance, so no big deal," Beka dismissed casually.

There seemed to be a fire on Trance's eyes now, as she attempted to move in front of Harper but Beka matched her every step.

"Don't do this, whatever your game is, it has to stop," Beka stressed, deciding to no longer play games seeing how seriously the impostor was focused on Harper.

"She did this, she was playing the game I'm just trying to fix things," Trance spoke, her eyes fixed on Harper.

"Who, our Trance?" Beka played their only card but the impostor barely acknowledged the fact they seemed to know she wasn't genuine.

"She brought you to this system to protect you, you were all supposed to die in that battle, you were not supposed to survive the Arkology," the impostor stated darkly. "You," she then glared at Harper. "You were not supposed to be here at all."

"Me?" Harper asked with surprise, Beka still shielding him. "I was supposed to die on Arkology? I knew it, is that why I was here for so long?"

The impostor Trance just stared at him with contempt. "You were supposed to die spawning Magog."

"Just leave us alone!" Beka snapped in reaction, but feared what this Trance could do already seeing the numbed reaction in Harper to her words.

"I was?" Harper answered confused, clearly shocked.

"Seamus Zelazny Harper was always destined to die at the hands of his greatest fear, to die young having achieved so much against the odds," the impostor spoke, her eyes fixed with Harpers. "But she kept you alive, saved you and changed your destiny."

"You make that sound like a bad thing," Harper returned, his voice shaky.

Trance looked at him, and glanced at Beka before speaking. "You should have died a hero, Seamus," the impostor partly smiled. "Instead you will die a broken man, your life's path may have been extended but those you walk with their path remain the same and they were not destined to walk with you at this time."

"I still have my friends," Harper argued.

"Do you? Is it the same, do you feel for them like before?" Trance offered suggestively. "You still carry notions of love, dreams and aspirations that have no place in this time, this time is not yours, you have no one Seamus Harper, and those you think you have are not in line with your path, you walk alone and you will die alone."

"He'll never be alone," Beka stressed.

"You are not an authority on the subject," Trance returned coldly. "We have tried our best to right the wrong of our sister, by sending you to Seefra she gave us an opportunity to intervene and attempt to repair the damage. You wondered why you were here for so long, the answer is simple."

Harper was almost afraid to ask. "It is?"

"To speed up the natural process, to take away your reason for living," Trance answered slyly.

"Rommie," Beka immediately realised.

"Marika," Harper whispered the name, as his memory flooded with her and Beka immediately saw the onset of his grief reappearing on his face. "Rommie can be rebuilt, but," he frowned unable to continue.

"No, Harper, Marika, no way," Beka dismissed then turned to Trance. "You stop this, stop twisting his head like this; you're speaking lies for your own gain!"

"You need Seamus Harper to have any chance of returning to your own world," Trance offered knowingly. "But by returning you'll be sending Harper back to a universe where he should be dead, where he has no future, and he'll realise no reason for living and that will continue, you can't deny the law of time."

"Lies, its all lies," Beka stressed, seeing how quiet Harper had become and on instinct she drew her weapon and fired, seconds after the impostor had already flashed out of sight. Beka stared at the space the other Trance had occupied moments earlier before gathering her senses and turning to Harper. "Seamus, don't listen to her, ok, she's just messing with your head."

"What if she's not, what if that's the truth?" Harper asked quietly.

"Trust me, Seamus, look at me," Beka demanded and waited until Harper's eyes met with hers, and she saw how close to the surface his emotions were. "She admitted that we need your help to get home, but you can't let her beat you, that's all she's trying to do, she doesn't want us to return but you can beat her, you can defy her."

"My head," Harper stressed before pausing. "She put something inside me, I'm not sure what but it's been bugging me, haunting me, I see it when I'm awake and asleep," he took a deep breath. "Just blurs, shouting, death, destruction all rolled into one, I see my people, Beka, humans on Earth, what if she's saying I caused what I see by simply existing?"

Beka grabbed hold of Harper's shoulders, gently shaking him. "This is what she wants, she wants you distracted, so snap out of it, Harper, we're out of the way here but we need to return to our own universe, we can't allow ourselves to remain 'tidied' away out of sight!"

"Everything she said is true," Harper admitted.

"No!" Beka stressed, still holding Harper firm.

"You're hurting me," Harper winced, as his shoulder shot pains.

"If you hurt, then you exist, right?" Beka emphasised. "You feel, and live, you breathe and no one can tell you otherwise, you have every right to be here and if you didn't you'd be dead already!"

"What's the point?" Harper asked, clearly struggling to see Beka's viewpoint. "Coming back here to this ship is exactly that, a step back!" he stressed loudly, moving away from Beka. "This was my life, Beka, was, but not anymore! Coming back, it's not my future it's my past, I've going over covered ground just by being here, don't you see she's right, I shouldn't be here I'm going no where!"

"Harper," Beka didn't know what to say.

"I have no reason to live; not now she's."

"Don't," Beka interrupted before Harper could say it.

"I loved her, Beka," Harper stressed.

"Trust me, you didn't," Beka returned.

"How can you know?" Harper snapped. "I loved Marika, like I've never loved a woman before."

"It was all games, Seamus, wake up!" Beka yelled. "The reason it was like you've never loved before was because it wasn't you, and it wasn't love, you were just a pawn in some intergalactic game, that impostor said as much when she said she put you there, they manipulated you into thinking you loved that monster!"

Clearly distressed now, Harper shook his head in denial and without saying another word he began to run.

"Seamus, don't, hey wait up!" Beka called after him and gave chase before he got too far ahead but he was already out of sight by the time she reached the first junction. On reaching the second junction Beka stopped dead in her tracks and froze on seeing the impostor Trance stood over the fallen body of Seamus Harper.

"Right where I wanted him, he played right into my hands," she smiled. "Game over," the impostor offered before disappearing.

"Harper!" Beka fell to the ground beside Harper, immediately checking for life signs. "Harper?" she fussed and was relieved to feel a strong pulse.

"I loved her," Harper murmured with a pained expression. "Like no other, or ever again."

Beka brought Harper up into her arms and she held him tightly, letting his head rest against her shoulder not willing to let go. "You will love again, Seamus, I promise and you'll have more than enough reasons to live, don't let anyone, especially that impostor tell you otherwise."

"Beka! Dylan and Rhade have returned, they found Trance," Kalika's excited voice approached but suddenly the footsteps stopped abruptly. "What's happened?"

Beka heard Kalika's voice and held Harper closer. "Leave us for now. I'll come and find you later, and explain," Beka requested without looking up.

"Let me help," Kalika requested.

"Please," Beka simply said, and could hear the footsteps of Kalika backing and moving away.

"What did she just do to you, Seamus?" Beka asked, clutching Harper tightly trying to rid herself of the fear she had just felt on seeing Harper sprawled on the deck at the impostor's feet.

"Bright light," Harper murmured softly. "So bright, I was blinded and the impact made be fall, knocked me to the ground, it was so hot and so bright," he attempted to explain.

Beka pulled him away and held his face with concern. "Blinded?" she questioned and looked into his eyes with fear but instead of seeing pain, she saw Harper smirk and find a smile through the tears.

"Just momentary, not for real," he offered and lightly began to laugh. "Not this time."

"Oh thank god," Beka showed her relief in bringing him close again. "Don't scare me like that, Seamus, the luck you've had lately," she tailed off, refusing to let him go.

"Can we stay like this forever?" Harper asked in a whisper.

"Dylan might not appreciate us blocking one of his corridors for the rest of our days, but I could ask," Beka lightly returned.

"It's nice," Harper simply spoke.

"Yeah," Beka agreed, unsure of Harper's mood now. "Nice things can still happen to you, Harper, despite what others want you to believe."

"I should get back to Doyle and Rommie, maybe?" Harper suggested.

Beka reluctantly let Harper go, and they both got to their feet looking a little uneasy for a moment before Beka put her arm around Harper's shoulders for extra reassurance. "First, we go eat, that was the original plan, right?"

"Right," Harper nodded his head but they had barely walked two metres before Harper and Beka froze, seeing Trance ahead of them.

"Harper?" Trance tentatively asked.

"Trance?" Harper returned unsure, before the golden alien came running towards him. Backing away slightly, Beka kept her arm around Harper's shoulders in comfort.

"What did she do?" Trance stopped a little in front of Harper, seeing his uncertainty. "Harper?" she prompted when no one spoke and then she seemed to sense something and she put her hand up level with Harper's chest. "Oh no, no, you shouldn't have seen that, it's too soon," she stressed closing her eyes and Beka could only watch in wonder as a yellow gas seemed to be drawn from Harpers chest into Trance's hand, when the gas faded Trance opened her eyes and Harper slumped slightly against Beka in her hold. "All gone, you won't be tormented by that any longer."

"What was that?" Beka asked, as Harper wearily rested against her.

"I can't say, but we'll know soon enough," Trance sighed, and put her hand on Harper's shoulder and Beka could tell with that small action in taking care not to hurt Harper, that this was their Trance without any doubt.

"What's happened to the other you?" Beka asked.

"My sister?" Trance offered dismissively. "She could be back, or she might feel her job is done," she frowned, and stroked the side of Harper's face as he appeared to be sleeping now. "Only time will tell," she shrugged and Harper slowly stirred under Trance's touch, enough to push away from Beka and appear awake again.

"Trance!" Harper exclaimed with a smile and he embraced her warmly.

"I thought my sister might have turned you against me," Trance spoke with relief to Harper's reaction, and returned his embrace.

"Take more than a few words, Trance, I'm just glad the real you is back, I missed you," He stated as he pulled away with a new air of determination about him. "I'm going to get us all home, if it's the last thing I do I'm going to get us all out of the Seefra system and then," Harper paused, looking at them both in turn. "We'll see where my twisted path takes me," he finished. "But first, food," he declared and began to walk, with Beka and Trance simply watching.

"It's not going to be easy is it?" Beka spoke quietly to Trance, as Harper walked away.

"No," Trance answered.

"Is it true, was he supposed to die with the infestation?"

"Yes."

"So you've created this mess he's in?"

"I created this mess we're all in, we're all affected," Trance answered sadly. "Harper was supposed to die, and I was supposed to disappear in a tesseract, I shouldn't be here either, you all should have walked a path without us."

"I'm glad you saved him, and didn't disappear," Beka turned to Trance. "And I don't get to say this often but I appreciate your honesty."

"You don't hate me?" Trance asked with fear.

"I can't hate you," Beka partly smiled and her gaze drifted to where she could see Harper waiting for her. "I've found myself wondering more and more lately, 'why Harper?' Why he's always being made an easy target but suddenly it makes sense."

"The universe is trying to right my wrong, my sisters are on a mission but I will keep trying to protect him, I owe him that much," Trance stated.

"Only Harper could make an enemy of the entire universe," Beka had to smile.

"But he has good protection in me and you, Beka, you've already proved that," Trance offered with her own smile, but she then looked concerned. "Beka, things will change when we return, it won't be like before, I want you to be prepared."

"What things?"

"I can't say for fear of what might happen if I do, but all I can say is that Harper will need you more than ever, don't let him go," Trance stated, before moving and walking away in the opposite direction.

Beka showed a flash of confusion before looking to where Harper was still waiting for her, quickly she made up the distance and they both finally continued on their quest for food.

TBC


	27. Chapter 27

Part 27

Dylan glanced over to Rhade and then to Trance and Beka, they were stood on command. The ship was gaining more power, but slowly, despite Harper's best efforts. It was a lot of work and they needed to be patient, but the view screen showed the destruction going on around them as the Seefra sun continued on its course towards Seefra One.

"I think our plan will work, just," Rhade spoke up, having spent the best part of the last couple of hours figuring out the sums and timescale.

"Then let's ensure it does, is Harper ready with the shield?" Dylan asked, snapping to alert.

"It's ready, he's moved onto Rommie and Doyle," Beka partially smirked, pleased that Harper was ahead of the game.

"Good," Dylan showed his surprise.

"Dylan," Trance spoke up suddenly. "Do you need me for this?"

"Trance, it's your sun we're trying to stop," Dylan reminded her.

"Beka should go then," Trance stated.

Beka turned to Trance with confusion. "What's going on?"

"Harper shouldn't be alone right now," Trance warned. "He is close to fixing the androids."

Trance didn't have to say anything further, Beka was already hurrying towards the exit and Dylan could only frown, before he continued to issue orders to try and save Seefra.

* * *

Harper admired the two beauties lying on parallel cots, all his own work and for a moment he felt like a proud father before he shook that image completely out of his head, not settling well with his fantasies.

"Guess it's time," Harper decided. "Hope this works."

With a press of a button he activated a signal that immediately set into motion the boot up sequence for one of the androids, as Harper looked on. Slowly Rommie opened her eyes and then sat up, as awareness returned. Harper was lost in the joy of seeing Rommie mobile again, and this time he had had all the components he had needed to fix her, no more making do.

"Welcome back, babe!" Harper declared.

"Seamus Harper," Rommie acknowledge, a little disorientated and she seemed to be remembering as she slowly slid from the cot.

"No need to be so formal," Harper offered. "I've missed you Rom Doll," he stressed, as his feelings for her became apparent in his emotions. "Missed you so much like you wouldn't believe."

"You put my head in a box," Rommie simply spoke, as she approached Harper.

"Rommie," Harper spoke before realising the manner in which Rommie approached him now. "Hey, I fixed you as soon as I had the right parts, look, you're fixed babe," he stressed, backing away now as Rommie continued to move towards him.

With a sudden thought Harper directed his scanner towards Doyle and activated her boot up sequence, hoping she wasn't so defective. "Rommie, back off, come on, play fair!" he stated with panic.

Rommie backed Harper against the bulkhead of the machine shop, and then put her hand to his throat. "I was a prisoner inside my own mind and you put me there!"

"Hey, you weren't the only prisoner, doll, I've not been having the best of times either you know," Harper stressed, glancing at Doyle and seeing her slowly awakening but gagged on feeling Rommie's fingers press deeper into his neck. "Please, Rom Doll, don't do this."

Rommie only stared at Harper with contempt, continuing to press down on his air way as he brought his arms up to try and push her away. "What gives you the right to decide if I live or die?"

"I didn't kill you," Harper gasped, seeing spots in his vision now. "I saved you, Rommie, I saved you!"

Before Harper knew what was happening he felt all the air in his body suddenly leave as he received a heavy blow to the stomach from the fist of Rommie. Gasping for air, but finding none, Harper fell to the deck struggling to breath as she simply stood over him. His eyes searched Rommie's for any sign of what he remembered her to be, but saw only the cold stare of an android who wanted to see him dead. The realisation consumed him and he tried to pick himself up, only to find a booted foot kicking him back down, as Rommie toyed with him, and he felt his ribs crack as he screamed in pain.

"Harper!" Doyle's voice was then heard and Harper felt the presence of Rommie move away, and the distance sounds of the two androids going head to head. Wearily, and still trying to recover his breath, Harper instead simply lay face down on the deck recovering.

"Harper!" Beka's voice now filled his conscious, but Harper could barely bring himself to move, this wasn't how he had imagined Rommie returning to his life to be, so much pain he was in. "Harper, speak to me, come on," Beka encouraged. "What happened?"

"I rebuilt her," Harper spoke with genuine confusion and dismay, as Beka gently rolled him onto his back, so Harper could rest in her lap. "Hurts," Harper then winced and his hand moved to his stomach.

"We should get you to med deck," Beka suggested. "Can you move at all?"

"I'll try," Harper gestured and then noticed the fight still going on between Doyle and Rommie. "I can't leave them."

"Yes, you can," Beka advised but Harper suddenly froze, as if realising something he had forgotten. "What is it?"

"I know what's wrong," he stressed, clearly in pain from the blow to the stomach but he pushed away from the assistance Beka was giving him and headed for the still fighting androids. "Stop!" Harper declared, but instead had to duck quickly as Rommie aimed a piece of machinery at his head. "I said stop!" Harper yelled, hiding his discomfort.

"Harper, you should let me deal with this," Doyle stressed.

"I'm touched that you care again, but listen to me," Harper stated firmly, and looked at Rommie. "The reason you're so confused is because you're still incomplete, you have to bear with me," he assured her softly before turning to Doyle. "You've looked after something that means the world to me, something more precious than anything I have ever had in my care before," Harper spoke with conviction.

"I have?" Doyle looked confused.

"You need to give it back now, and to its rightful owner," Harper gestured to Rommie, before turning to face Doyle.

"Harper!" Beka yelled, but Harper felt the sudden sharp pain in his back and couldn't help falling forward into Doyle as his breath caught him. Behind him, Rommie kept the sharp blade she had acquired from some tools on one of the workbenches inside of her engineer, before she grabbed him and moved him away from Doyle.

"I want nothing from you Harper, except revenge," Rommie snarled into his ear as she held him close, the knife still embedded in his back that she held.

Harper was too shocked to speak but his eyes locked with Doyle's, and she seemed to understand as she moved closer.

"Stay away!" Rommie ordered and Harper grimaced, feeling the blade inside him. Wearily he rested against Rommie in the hold she had on him, he could hear Beka and Doyle talking, but he felt himself fading, as Rommie's voice became less clear.

Then with some force, Harper found himself falling to his knees, Rommie's hold suddenly gone and he soon found himself in someone else's hold, one he was familiar and safe with as Beka held him tight, and her voice encouraged him to stay with her.

"You did it, Seamus, Dylan's just relayed the success, we've saved Seefra One, you saved this system," Beka's voice sounded distance but he took some joy in the news. "And I think Doyle figured out what she had to give to Rommie, so you have to stay with us," Beka added, and Harper could tell she was crying as she held him tightly.

"Not my time," Harper defiantly whispered. "Going no where," he attempted a smile just before he felt himself pass out.

Beka held Harper close, feeling his blood soaking her clothes as she noticed a flash of gold light in the corner of the room knowing the other Trance had been watching, checking on her handiwork. Doyle and Rommie, no longer fighting immediately took Harper from Beka, and they all rushed to the med deck.

* * *

It had been so long, too long. The swirls of light were like family that had not been around to comfort her in a long while. Beka Valentine navigated the slip stream like she had never been away, and in moments of doubt she had Seamus Harper by her side to encourage her to keep going. He looked weak, but he was up and he was alive, and she needed no further reason to keep focused on getting them all home.

With a jolt, the ship came to a stop and after a moment of adjustment the crew looked out to the universe beyond. A familiar voice soon spoke what they all wanted to hear, as Andromeda announced they were home, safely back and in their own universe and away from Seefra.

Emotions ran high as in turn each crew member took a moment to embrace the others, and Beka took a moment to savour the joy around her.

"I'm home, I'm really home, I mean Earth is just so close, I can touch it," Harper exclaimed with the excitement of a five year old, his two day old wound in his back suddenly pain free with his adrenalin rush.

"Hey, calm down," Beka warned him. "Don't go pushing yourself."

"I'm home, Beka, we're home," Harper emphasised.

"I know, we're home," Beka agreed, as she looked at Harper with care. "So what now?"

"We savour this moment of rare good fortune?" Harper offered.

Beka smirked. "You want to go home, don't you, to Earth?"

"We're so close, it's been so long, it's my home let me take the Maru," Harper asked pleadingly.

"Actually, Harper, I was hoping we could get ourselves reacquainted with our own universe before we go rushing off on personal errands, we've been away a long time and we need to ensure things are as we left them," Dylan warned.

"But," Harper attempted but Dylan silenced him with a wave of his hand, and Harper turned to Beka. "I'm so close, it's been over three years, Beka," Harper pleaded.

"I know," Beka agreed. "But a few days won't make any difference, Dylan's right we should get an idea of what's happened in our absence." Harper winced and brought his arm around himself, in apparent pain. "Harper, you ok?" Beka checked with concern.

"You were right, I should have calmed down," Harper complained. "I think I should lie down," he offered looking a little light headed.

"Good plan, and as soon as we're caught up, I'll take you to Earth myself, ok?" Beka assured him.

Harper distractedly nodded his head, and it appeared Earth was the furthest thing from his mind as he showed the discomfort he still felt from his injury. Beka glanced at Rommie who quickly looked away, unable to come to terms with what she had done to Harper in her confused state. Doyle had made things right by downloading the missing pieces of her matrix into her core, and suddenly Rommie had realised that Harper was not the enemy, no one was.

Beka felt awful for Rommie, but proud of Harper. He had refused to blame Rommie for what had happened, and he had simply got up from his sick bed and had helped them push that final distance to return home. Maybe it had taken its toll, Beka realised, remembering how much in pain Harper had been before he had left a few moments earlier but she would make it up to him somehow.

"Harper had done a lot to bring us home," Trance's voice appeared beside Beka.

"He's suffering, he deserves an extended absence of leave for the hours he's put in whilst injured with that wound," Beka stated.

"You were told not to let him go," Trance then spoke, and Beka turned to her with confusion before seeing Trance offer the briefest of smiles, before flashing out of sight, Beka spun around and saw the genuine Trance talking to Dylan and her blood run cold.

"Andromeda!" Beka barked upwards. "Where is Seamus Harper?"

Command fell silent before Andromeda spoke up. "My internal surveillance systems have been deactivated, I am unable to respond," Andromeda returned.

Rommie moved forward. "Docking bay doors are opening, a slip fighter has just left," she stressed. "Assume it's Harper, and its heading is Earth!"

"We have to stop him, Dylan," Beka stressed, moving to the slipstream station.

"He deserves some R and R," Dylan tried to object.

"Evil Trance was just here taunting me about letting Harper go!" Beka snapped with anger.

"Oh no, it's happening," Trance then focused. "We have to bring Harper back!"

"Will someone please tell me what's going on?" Dylan demanded.

"The same thing that always goes on when it involves Harper, chaos," Rhade remarked.

"Harper is already on approach to Earth, the slip fighter is already out of range," Andromeda revealed.

"Already?" Beka snapped. "How is that possible, not even a slip fighter moves that quickly!"

"He had help," Trance solemnly revealed. "They want this."

"Who?" Rhade asked.

"My sisters, time itself righting a wrong," Trance fearfully spoke.

"I am detecting eruptions on the Earth's core," Rommie spoke up. "It's going to blow."

"What?" Dylan, Rhade and Beka spoke in unison.

"Your sisters are going to blow Earth up to teach you a lesson?" Beka stressed astounded.

"It's insignificant in the greater picture but means the world to the one being that should not be here," Trance sighed.

"Why are your sisters doing this Trance?" Dylan asked, as he frantically ordered the Andromeda to get closer. "Tell me, are your people working for good or evil?"

"I always believed we worked for the greater good, I always did but maybe that's why I'm the outcast," Trance offered without answering. "I say sisters but there's only one who wants Harper dead, she blames him for all the wrongs."

"What do you mean? How can she make Harper a target?" Beka snapped.

"She has good reason, he's been a target for a long while to her," Trance sighed.

"You knew about this?" Beka asked towards Trance, as a count down began and Earth's time was nearly up.

"Where's Harper?" Dylan ordered.

"I'm getting no reading," Rhade returned.

"I've just found out the full extent," Trance numbly responded to Beka's question. "They with held information from me, they told me only half truths, I can't stay, I caused this," she spoke with sadness, as her eyes watered numbly looking out to Earth.

"Trance, I have enough to deal with here with one crew member going awol, you will stay right where you are!" Dylan yelled. "Andromeda, locate Seamus Harper!"

"Two, one."

TBC


	28. Chapter 28

Part 28

The Maru navigated through the rocks with care and caution, avoiding the ones that could do a lot of damage. Beka felt numb as she contemplated that these rocks once formed a planet, Harper's birthplace, his home Earth. They had picked up the slip fighters signal a few minutes after the destruction, but for an agonising hour they were forced to wait at a safe distance until the debris had settled, and even then the Andromeda was too big to travel through the rocks and destruction, so Beka had volunteered to pilot the Maru fearing what she might find.

Behind her she heard footsteps, Rhade had insisted on joining her and somewhere else in the ship was Rommie and Doyle, but Beka wasn't in the mood for company as she focused on the beacon that they could hear getting closer.

"There," Rhade spoke up, and gestured to the right of the view screen beyond into the mass of stars, and Beka saw the reflection of the slip fighter's hull. It was floating aimlessly as Beka instructed Rhade to ready the bucky cables.

It seemed to take hours, but finally the slip fighter gently settled on board. Beka handed command to Rhade and already knowing Rommie and Doyle were ahead of her, she made her way to the cargo bay with haste. By the time she reached the bay, Doyle and Rommie were examining the exterior of the hull but outwardly they seemed optimistic.

"Hull integrity held, there's no damage to oxygen supply but levels are registering as low, the slip fighter was not properly prepped before leaving," Rommie stated, but Beka caught sight of the unconscious human sitting inside and rushed forward.

"Let's get him out," Beka ordered, and Doyle assisted Rommie in removing the canopy and after some effort it was manually released. "Seamus?" Beka tried to wake him, but he was out cold. She checked his life signs and almost hugged both Rommie and Doyle on finding them strong. "Get him to the infirmary, and let's get back to the Andromeda."

* * *

"Do you think he would he have come back?" Rhade quietly asked, as he watched Beka. She had been ordered to eat and get some rest, and he had assigned himself the duty of making sure she got some food inside her.

"I don't know," Beka offered with a shrug. "Earth was his home and just lately he hasn't felt that comfort and now he's going to have no where."

"The Maru?" Rhade suggested.

"Bad memories," Beka reluctantly revealed. "Ever since that time we were stranded, I think the Maru has become a place he doesn't quite feel the same about anymore," she offered sadly.

"It's the closest thing he has to a home now," Rhade shrugged.

"This place, the Andromeda is probably a better bet, that's if he chooses to stay," Beka frowned. "With the reappearance of Tarn Vedra however, who knows what Dylan's plans are, he might not even want us to stick around and I wouldn't blame him."

"It's too soon to be discussing our futures," Rhade stated thoughtfully. "I'm sure in time things will work themselves out."

"How's Trance holding up?" Beka asked.

"She's occupying her time helping Kalika and her brother's family settle into life in this universe, she's trying to find them sanctuary on a planet that will accept them," Rhade revealed. "Kalika is hesitant to leave."

"Harper?" Beka guessed.

"What she sees in him I don't know," Rhade smirked and then frowned. "Trance mentioned in passing or by accident, I'm not sure, that her sister hasn't gone, and that her people are still on their mission."

"They did that to Earth, to Harper," Beka seethed. "All those lives lost because one person lived, how does that make things right?" Beka stressed shaking her head. "And Harper will know that, he'll know it's his fault I mean how are you supposed to console a guy who through no fault of his own caused the destruction of a whole planet?"

"That guy can sure attract trouble," Rhade remarked with a heavy sigh, as he watched Beka continue to play with her food. "You should get some rest, rather than move your food around a plate."

"I'm scared, Rhade, this won't end until Harper is dead, you realise that?" Beka stated with emotions rising. "Trance's sister will continue to make him a target until that day."

"You would think self proclaimed guardians of the universe would have better things to do with their time than worry about a worthless kludge," Rhade spoke as he got to his feet, and felt the glare Beka now threw him. "What? He is," he defended himself.

"Maybe that's what we should be doing, asking that question, why is this universe so cut up about Seamus Harper, what is the reason?" Beka asked, finding new determination with the question as she cleared her food away and walked with Rhade. "To blow up an entire planet, I mean why not just kill him if they have that much firepower?"

"It's not that simple."

Beka and Rhade turned around to find Trance stood behind them, only not their Trance, the imposter.

"What the hell do you want?" Beka demanded.

"Seamus Harper, I thought that was obvious?" the fake Trance answered.

"Why?" Rhade asked before Beka had the chance. "Why not just kill him, you could have done it a thousand times over already, why play these games?"

"She can't," Beka spoke up knowingly, and she moved forward. "Why are you here, why are you talking to us, what do you need?"

"What makes you think I need anything?" the impostor asked.

Beka grew in confidence as she stood in front of the being that looked identical to their Trance, only Beka had learned to spot the differences that Harper himself had noticed immediately. Her stance and manner were very different to their own Trance.

"You wouldn't be here talking to us if you didn't," Beka countered. "So spill, tell me what you want."

The fake Trance looked at Beka before glancing away, and suddenly they were all aware of another presence in the room. The real Trance walked towards them, her confidence obvious as she looked down on her other self.

"This is not about Harper," Trance stated towards Beka and Rhade. "It's all about me, it has been since the start," she announced. "My people banished me for my actions in saving Harper but they made one fatal error."

"They did?" Beka asked.

"They allowed me to separate, to be in one time as two people, and I tricked them and in doing so I saved Harper all over again, and this time they couldn't stop me," Trance smiled.

"But," the fake Trance began. "No, that can't be. You tricked me, not our people!"

Trance turned to her other self. "When I came through that tesseract and I told you to go, I was supposed to let Harper die, but there was no way I would right your original wrong, absolutely no way, you weren't the only one to care about Harper, we both did, we are the same person," Trance explained with care.

"But, you have inflicted your error, our error on to this universe," the fake Trance explained, but Trance was already shaking her head. "You were supposed to fix this! I'm trying to fix this!"

"I'm sorry that you went back to that place so innocent and vulnerable, to be so twisted by hate into this war against me, and against Harper, your friend, do you remember him at all?" Trance asked with care.

"I remember bits," the fake Trance offered.

Beka moved forward some more, her face showing shock. "Is that," she began and then paused, when her Trance simply nodded her head. "Trance?"

"She's grown up since you last saw her, and her head has been twisted by my people to hate Harper, and me, and those in this time line for making her leave," the older Trance explained. "She truly believes we're the evil ones, who deserve to be tormented and she has learned to use her powers on the one she believes is to blame for her banishment, the reason her life was turned upside down."

"But Harper has suffered, not you," Beka countered, picking up on Trance's words.

"Hurting me would have no effect, she is me, but they have twisted her head enough to hate Harper, and now she has grown to finally be able to see me and her as two different people, when we are the same, nothing has changed," Trance stressed.

"My head has not been twisted!" the younger Trance argued. "And you are not me!"

"So much hate," the older Trance reflected sadly. "She won't stop until Harper and I, and this time line have suffered as much as we can take. She is strong now, nearly as strong as me and hate is her source of power"

"Trance, you have to stop," Beka moved forward, seeing a more vulnerable being now, and no longer seeing the impostor who threatened them. Looking beyond the similarities of the golden alien, Beka could now see her old friend, the one she served with on the Maru before they found the Andromeda. Her lucky charm was all grown up and in need of help. "You can't punish us anymore, we're your friends."

"Friends?" Rhade remarked, finally finding his voice. "If you ask me we've now got double the riddles," he seethed, looking at the two Trances.

"I am not you," Trance glared at her older self. "We're sisters, nothing more."

"That's what they want you to believe, but you are Trance Gemini like myself," Trance returned and then looked at Beka. "Only I can fix this, but first I need to know I have a place here."

"What? Of course you do, Trance," Beka exclaimed.

"Not me," Trance stated and then looked at her younger self. "This is her time, not mine."

"But she's," Beka paused and just stared at the imposter.

"No, I can't," the younger Trance stuttered.

"You can't be serious," Rhade stressed. "She's tried to kill Harper and blew up his home planet, no, this is a joke. You want to keep her here?"

"No joke," Trance offered. "My work is now done, Seefra is my home now, my sun is there and I have no reason to stay, my younger self belongs in this universe and amongst good people, she won't be able to return to her people now, even if she doesn't believe it now, she will and we need to ensure she handles that knowledge responsibly," Trance smiled knowingly. "For my sake, I need this time line to remain intact; it's been my life's work."

"I don't want this!" the younger alien spoke with fury.

"You will," Trance explained. "If you have a place to stay."

"Trance, I want to look after Harper first, I don't think I can," Beka hesitated and took a deep breath. "I'm not sure I can trust her, not after everything she's done, if she is the reason Harper has suffered so much because of her."

"She is me, the me you first befriended and took in when you had no idea who I was, but you found a way to trust me," Trance spoke with care, and then glanced at her younger self who had tried a couple of times to disappear. "You are banished, and it's my fault again, they know what I have told you and they already know you know I speak the truth," she explained with regret. "Your powers will return in time, you need to now learn to harness them from this universe, not our centre."

"I can't do this," the younger Trance's emotions began to show. "I promised them I would fix this, I told them I would make things right."

The older Trance looked at Beka with care. "Please, she needs guidance and understanding, she is your Trance," Trance spoke knowingly. "The Trance I was never able to be. You will not see me again in your lifetime, I am from a time very far into your future but you will start to see my younger self grow into who I am now," Trance smiled fondly at her youth. "There are many timelines and paths between me and her right now, and I trust you Beka to help me on my way to reaching me," she smiled wickedly.

"But," Beka tried to find an excuse, fearing the responsibility, but the decision was taken out of her hands as the older Trance disappeared in a flash of light.

"She's gone," the younger Trance announced.

"Her eyes work fine," Rhade remarked.

"I mean I don't feel her, she has left this plane, this universe," Trance offered. "I'm all alone, I can't go home."

"Funny, thanks to you either can Harper, you have some common ground," Rhade snapped. "This is a joke," he repeated again.

"Trance," Beka spoke with care, a little uneasy. "These are the ground rules, you will stop making Harper the target," Beka began, and to her surprise Trance was willing to listen, as she continued to set the rules.

* * *

Kalika moved slowly and with caution as she approached the lone figure, sitting on the deck of the walkway, his feet dangling over the slip stream core of the Andromeda Ascendant. Harper had been awake for over a day but his experience still left him quietly traumatised, and it was clear to see in his fixed blank expression.

"Seamus?" Barely a flicker of recognition registered on his face as Kalika sat down and joined him. "I'm sorry," she added, wishing she could find the words to say.

"Can't believe it's all gone," Harper murmured.

"Hard to imagine there's no going back," Kalika spoke knowingly.

Harper frowned and then glanced at Kalika. "I guess you do know how it feels."

"Not really, I know in my heart of hearts Seefra still exists, I just can't reach it," Kalika offered.

"Do you regret coming with us?" Harper asked.

"No," Kalika partly smiled. "Already I have seen the vastness of your universe, so much to explore and experience, I am grateful for the opportunity."

"I wish I could have shown you Earth," Harper shrugged.

"I wish that too," Kalika nodded her head sadly. "I've missed you."

"I've not gone anywhere," Harper responded.

"Felt like you had, I was so worried," Kalika admitted.

"I'm all cured now, all fixed, you don't have to look after me anymore," Harper spoke but his voice lacked emotion, as he looked down into the slipstream core.

"Still feel like I do," Kalika smiled now as she looked at Harper. "But I know I have to stand in line, behind Beka, Rommie, Doyle, Trance," she reeled off.

"I don't know, I think you've pushed your way into the line ahead of at least three of them, just behind Beka, and I'm only saying that because Beka will kick my butt if I dare put you ahead of her," Harper now found a smile as he considered that thought.

Kalika laughed and then looked at Harper. "You're strong enough to get through this, I know you are."

Harper took a deep breath. "I don't know," Harper dismissed. "Everything is changing, and I have no idea where I'll end up."

"I do," Kalika confidently spoke. "Wherever Beka goes."

"How can you be so sure I'll go with Beka?"

"Well since Dylan announced his retirement and the decommissioning of the Andromeda as a frontline warship, I've just had this hunch," Kalika grinned. "I feel you'd have a problem serving under Captain Rhade of the Andromeda Ascendant, patrolling trade routes for the next three years."

"My main problem would be taking him and the mission seriously," Harper smirked. "This ship is capable of still holding the front line, to suggest it's not is madness, just won't be the same," he stressed.

"See, I knew it, the minute Beka stepped down her commission, I knew you wouldn't be too far behind," Kalika exclaimed.

"But I haven't, not yet," Harper pointed out.

"So what's stopping you?"

"All my life I just wanted something that no one could take away from me," Harper explained. "I'm not sure I'm ready to give up my rank and title, even if it is just some chief engineer on a decommissioned warship, it still means everything to me."

"You're staying?" Kalika checked.

Harper shrugged. "I've been offered a couple of other warships in need of a chief engineer," he stated, and stared intently into the slipstream core now. "Those three years I spent on Seefra, and then seeing my home reduced to space dust has made me think," he spoke with sadness.

"Seamus, I'm sure I won't be the only one to tell you this but right now you need your friends around you, you don't need other commissions on ships full of strangers," Kalika stated seriously.

"I was thinking that maybe you'd like to come with me, you know, friendly face and all," Harper awkwardly asked. "I don't know which ship I'll go with yet but both allow for, you know, other people to join me."

"Seamus," Kalika tried to find the words.

"It was just a thought, I mean I seriously don't know," Harper hurriedly explained.

"I would say yes if I didn't think it would absolutely destroy Beka," Kalika offered.

"This has to be my decision," Harper emphasised and then seemed uncomfortable. "And I think we have something, and we shouldn't ignore that."

Kalika took Harper's hand into her own, as she moved closer to him. "I think so too, and it's why I asked Beka if I could join her crew as a medical officer."

"You did?" Harper checked.

"Trance will look after the environmental things and assist me," Kalika smiled.

"Trance, yeah, great," Harper spoke lacking enthusiasm, but his expression giving nothing away.

Kalika looked at Harper for a moment. "Trance has lost her powers, she's lost in this universe just like me, just like you. Being away from her people is doing her good, she's realising her errors and Beka needs a crew, she can't rely on me and Trance to keep that ship, ship shaped," Kalika half smiled.

"You have it all planned out," Harper realised. "Why did I even bother to try and work things out myself?"

"It's not like that," Kalika was quick to speak.

"That's not my Trance, I lost my Trance and I accepted what happened when she changed but a third time is a lot of ask," Harper simply spoke, his eyes still fixed on the core. "She hates me."

"She's already making progress, remembering her past," Kalika took care to explain. "I believe she's able to work through her own issues."

"Maybe I'm not," Harper stressed.

"You're strong, stronger than any of us," Kalika assured him. "And are you really turning down the chance to be the only male member of an all female crew?"

Harper found a smirk. "I heard that Doyle has decided to stay with Rhade, and Rommie."

"You can't have us all," Kalika joked.

"I would love to try," Harper couldn't help himself and felt a friendly nudge from Kalika. "I need to think about it," he then added with a sigh, and for the first time held eye contact with Kalika.

"Don't take too long," Kalika offered him a quick hug and then got to her feet, leaving Harper alone with his thoughts.

To be concluded


	29. Chapter 29

Part 29

Beka paced the command deck and looked upwards. "I already have a job that I need to take in two days, if I take it we have to leave tomorrow early," Beka stressed to Dylan and Rhade.

Both men looked at her and it seemed to finally hit them that the crew was breaking up, the time had come for new paths to be forged. "Are you ready to leave?" Dylan asked.

"I have half a crew, with Trance and myself," Beka stated. "Possibly Kalika," she added.

"And Harper?" Rhade checked.

"I don't know," Beka admitted and it was clear that he was the reason she was stressing out. "I don't want to push him but I feel like I am."

"He's already told me he's not going to stay on the Andromeda," Rhade informed them and both Dylan and Beka looked at him, the confirmation hitting them. "Last night he stopped by my quarters and told me that it had been the toughest decision of his life, but he felt he needed a new challenge, a new direction."

"I feared that," Beka admitted and leaned against the console. "What can I offer him that's new and fresh, he's already served the Maru as well," she stressed. "Those other offers, new ships, new missions, new start," she frowned. "Maybe deep down I'm just being selfish, because I know that's probably the best thing he can do right now, for himself."

"Harper would certainly be welcomed back by the Commonwealth, and both those offers he had would be good for him, I agree," Dylan stated. "But I'm not sure he should be taking them."

"You're not?" Beka checked.

"Harper is not Commonwealth," Dylan began and saw the looks on his friend's faces. "He has the skills but he has never had the discipline, he's always been Hunt's crew, Beka's crew, not Commonwealth Crew."

Both Rhade and Beka considered this one fact and then looked up to see Harper and Kalika stood by the entrance to Command. Harper gave an impish grin. "Me and Dylan had a long talk yesterday," he offered brightly, as he began to move forward almost with optimism. "Long overdue in fact, but he told me the same thing and made me realise that leaving the Commonwealth is taking nothing away from me, I'm taking myself away from them, my own decision, my own will."

Beka saw Kalika fondly gripping Harper's hand, showing him support and the smile on her face gave Beka renewed hope as Harper spoke again. "So boss, I'll make sure the Maru is ready to go tomorrow, ok?"

Beka stood stunned for a few seconds before her relief pushed her towards Harper to embrace him tightly. All the tension and fears washed away as she refused to let him go, and he enthusiastically returned her hug.

"He truly will be the death of her, mark my words," Rhade frowned, as he checked the console he was working at.

"Then just make sure you keep a long distance eye on them, that's all I ask in handing over command to you," Dylan spoke in a low voice so only Rhade could hear.

Rhade smirked. "Like I'd let them out of my sight for a second," he offered. "Someone needs to watch her back with the crew she's got."

Dylan smiled and then looked over as Beka finally released Harper. "I was so scared, Seamus," she told him, as she held his face in her hands.

"I just needed time," Harper admitted, a little embarrassed by Beka's emotions. "I've just got to go and tell the girls that daddy is leaving," he then frowned, showing reluctance.

"Doyle and Rommie are big girls now," Rhade stated with mocking tones.

"And will kick your butt if you try anything," Harper threw back. "You best treat them like ladies."

"About time someone did," Rhade returned with a smirk.

"Funny," Harper simply said, then turned to Beka and Kalika. "I have to do this alone."

"Are you sure, last time you were alone with those two you became far too friendly with a sharp blade," Kalika spoke with concern.

"That's why I need to speak to them alone, Rommie needs to know I still love her, trust her, with everything that's happened I've not had the chance to tell her," Harper offered. "Besides, Doyle will be there."

"Doyle has stated a death wish on you more than once," Beka reminded him.

"All blown out of proportion, that's so old even Dylan is younger," Harper stressed as he backed out of command quickly, whilst Dylan hurled a friendly insult at him.

* * *

Rommie looked at Harper, she could see he was talking but his words were not registering. After a moment he seemed to pick up on this fact and began to ask what was wrong, but she didn't know. Turning away, Rommie moved to the workbench where she had been checking the progress of the nanobots she had been fixing. She felt both Doyle and Harper move either side of her, they both spoke but she was in no mood to listen. 

"Rommie, I'm leaving because things have changed," Harper spoke, and finally she listened.

"Between us?" Rommie asked.

"No!" Harper exclaimed. "Rommie, I'm speaking to you now because I don't want you think that."

"I attacked you, I nearly killed you," Rommie reminded him.

"You were not yourself, you still needed to be repaired, it wasn't your fault," Harper explained.

Doyle pushed herself away from the workbench. "It was my fault, I had what you needed."

"No!" Harper exclaimed again and this time moved away from them both. "Listen, the both of you," he stressed and waited until they both looked at him. "You two are the most beautiful works of art I have ever created, nothing compares and you're both intelligent, amazing feats of science and if I die tomorrow I'll die a proud and happy man because of you."

"We have both at times wanted to kill you," Doyle pointed out, and it became clear the two androids had been talking a lot about that fact, as they shared a nervous glance.

Harper simply smirked. "You know there's a queue of people who have at one time or another wanted to do the same thing, it's normal, perfectly normal," Harper stressed.

"We were not joking," Doyle pointed out.

"Either were the ubers on Earth, the collaborators, the magog," Harper returned. "I still live and breath, ladies," he smiled. "Even Trance couldn't kill me," he then added flippantly, but his words caught him unexpectedly and suddenly he felt the need to look away. "Anyway, even if you did," he nervously attempted to continue. "You didn't kill me so no big deal," he hurriedly finished.

"We both wish you would stay with us, where we can protect you," Rommie now spoke, moving up to Harper.

"Don't do this, please?" Harper pleaded as he looked at the two most important people in his life, two life forms he had created. "It's not an easy decision to leave you both but you belong here," Harper stated, avoiding their gaze now.

"You belong here too," Doyle supported.

"We don't trust Trance, or the business Beka will be getting you mixed up in," Rommie stated.

"Ok, stop," Harper ordered, turning to them both and he took a moment to stare at them both. "I've made my decision ok?"

Both androids nodded their heads, and Harper took a deep breath. "Rommie, I wanted you to know that I'm so sorry that I couldn't fix you sooner, and that you had to go through that hell because I couldn't let you go, really I'm sorry," he stressed sincerely, looking at her for any sign of forgiveness.

"I understand now, and I'm glad you couldn't let me go," Rommie smiled warmly. "It's something that happened, nothing more, all forgiven," she added.

Harper showed his appreciation and then turned to Doyle. "And Doyle, Doyle," Harper repeated her name with care, as he looked at her fondly. "I should never have lied to you, and I should have listened to you a heck of a lot more than I did, but I was dumb, and you kept trying to tell me that, so I'm sorry," Harper admitted. "You kept me safe and sane on Seefra and I'll never forget that, you're the closest thing I have to family now, don't ever think I don't care."

Doyle looked at him strangely as Rommie cleared her throat, and Harper looked at Rommie and smiled. "You too babe, but Doyle has a connection that I never told her about, and I guess now is the time you should know," he offered and took a deep breath. "My name isn't Harper, not really," he began and both androids stared at him now confused. "My birth given name is Seamus Zelazny Doyle and that's why you mean so much to me, you're family," he revealed and Doyle seemed both shocked and pleased by the news.

"And the two of you, you're sisters, no doubt about it you both have shared the same memories and you have each other, and families stick together right?" Harper offered brightly. "Rommie has her two other sisters on board this ship, so you're good, you're all good and will look after each other, yes?" Harper prompted and was pleased to see that Rommie was the first to agree. "So stay in contact, and keep in touch with your old pa, ok?" Harper finished quickly, not knowing how his words had been taken. "It's time you both lived your own lives away from me," Harper finished and for what seemed the first time, both androids accepted Harper's request for a friendly hug.

"So who is Harper?" a new voice asked and Harper released his girls and spun around to see Beka approaching, looking upset.

"Beka, I didn't know you were there," Harper admitted.

"Obviously," Beka returned.

"What's the big deal?" Harper sensed her mood and was a little unsure.

"Finding out someone I felt I knew and called by a name that isn't actually his name, it's kind of a shock, you know?" Beka stressed.

"It's just a name," Harper attempted to reason.

"Not to me," Doyle offered.

"Ok, look," Harper flustered. "I told Doyle the truth because she deserved to know why the heck I gave her the name she has, ok?" he stressed to Beka. "Doyle deserves that much but this attitude?" he checked. "I don't need this, Beka, and I'm not even sure where it comes from, so my Earth name doesn't match my spacer name, it changes nothing!"

Beka took stock of the situation and took a deep breath, as she reacted to Harper's words. "You're right, I'm sorry."

"I'm still Seamus, and I might as well be called Harper now, there's no one alive now who ever knew me as Seamus Doyle," Harper spoke with some sadness in his voice at the realisation. "And Doyle is Doyle, see nothing has changed."

Beka was rapidly losing the battle with her emotions. "You're still Harper, yeah?" she checked. "I really need to know this is true, after everything that has happened, just tell me again to confirm that you are."

Harper reached out and gave Beka the comfort she needed. "I'm still Seamus Zelazny Harper," he spoke sincerely. "Maru engineer, annoying you in no time," he added with a knowing smirk. "But not like old times," he then stated. "I have a whole load of new things to annoy you with, have no fear," he stressed, holding her tight as Beka started to laugh.

Beka pulled away, still holding Harper. "Can you really do this, leave your two girls behind, the Andromeda, the commonwealth and accept Trance all over again?"

"Why don't we stop asking those questions and just see?" Harper suggested. "Done way too much thinking lately, and besides you'll be there, and Kalika," he added.

"You and Kalika, it's erm," Beka hesitated. "You look good together."

"Stop it," Harper smiled, as he pushed himself away from Beka. "I like her, but I don't know," he shrugged.

"The adventure that lies ahead for you guys, I'm almost jealous to be staying here," Rommie offered.

"You're welcome to join us," Harper stated.

"I think the updates you'll send us will suffice, my place is here, with my new sister," Rommie gestured to Doyle.

Harper couldn't help the proud smile he now wore. "How the hell, after everything that's happened, did I end up feeling like the luckiest man alive?"

"Now that you can blame us for," Beka offered. "Now snap out of it, we have work to do and only a few hours to do it in, time is money," Beka ordered.

"Right on it, boss," Harper snapped alert and got to his feet, walking with Beka to begin his new life.

* * *

Three months later. 

Beka moved through the Maru and into engineering, finding Harper above her fixing something that had him hanging precariously off the ladder.

"How's she looking?" Beka called up, always concerned about her ship especially since it had once again become her home, her crew's home.

"She'll live, so long as we don't run across any more angry port authority types," Harper stressed, as he climbed down. "What can I do for you?"

"Just wanted a chat," Beka smiled. "It's been a while since we've stopped long enough to just talk."

"Talk about what?" Harper asked.

"It's been three months, Harper," Beka prompted.

"Have I been on probation?" Harper teased, as they began to walk. "You trying to tell me I'm being thrown out the airlock for doing a poor job?"

"Don't tempt me," Beka mocked. "I just wanted to check that you're doing ok."

"Ship is all ship shape, right? Despite the many knocks we've taken," Harper gestured around him.

"For once I'm not talking about the Maru, Seamus, how are you holding up?" Beka asked.

Harper seemed to relax, and resign himself to the serious heart to heart Beka obviously wanted. "I'm good."

"You always say that," Beka responded.

"Because I am," Harper smiled. "Seriously, no problems and I might even add that I'm glad I joined your crew, Captain Valentine," he chirped.

"You never really left," Beka encouraged.

"True, but I have no regrets, the girls keep in contact, the big uber girl even does and he's looking after my main girl ok, so I'm good," Harper explained manically.

"How are Rommie and Doyle doing with Rhade as their captain?" Beka asked.

"Well I told you I think Rommie is bored," Harper reminded her. "But fundamentally she's a warship and I never remember programming the meaning of retirement into her psyche," Harper smirked. "I think Doyle is helping her though, when she isn't fully focused on Captain Tight pants," he offered and Harper saw Beka raise her eyebrows. "Doyle's picked up a thing for Rhade, so Rommie tells me; Doyle says it's all in Rommie's mind."

"You really turned them into sisters didn't you," Beka smiled.

"I did nothing but use the power of suggestion," Harper defended.

"There was something I wanted to talk to you about," Beka then ventured.

"I knew it," Harper seemed to tense up, as he moved to sit at the counter, avoiding Beka's questioning gaze.

"Trance."

Harper just nodded his head. "I will snap out of it, ok?"

"When?"

"I don't know."

"Not good enough."

Harper turned to Beka with a flash of anger that he quickly extinguished. "You tell me, Kal tells me, she tells me but it's not getting through, I know," he stressed, focused on his hands. "She's my purple pixie all grown up but she isn't," he stated. "She tortured me, Beka, taunted me and I can't just dismiss that, I can't quite forget just yet."

Beka moved to sit next to Harper. "I know, but you've moved on before and I know you can do it again."

"I don't know," Harper hesitated. "Before I didn't have a whole heap of confusion in my head, you know?"

"Talk to me," Beka encouraged as she gently rubbed his back.

"Marika," Harper simply said the name as if it was all the answer Beka needed. Beka noticeably tensed on hearing the name, and Harper knew he had to continue. "I still think about her," he offered awkwardly, knowing he was treading dangerous ground saying this to Beka, knowing her feelings. "She used to torture me too, kept telling me I asked for it, I needed it."

"She was messing with your head," Beka reminded him.

"Trance did that, she messed with my path so I would meet Marika she made that happen, knowing Marika would do that to me," Harper stressed. "I fell in love with a psychopath because of Trance's will, not my own and it was love, Beka, and it still hurts," he stressed and brought his hand up to his face, in a feeble attempt to hide his rising emotions.

Beka put her arm around Harper's shoulders for comfort, as he continued. "I can't block those feelings I felt for Marika, and I've tried so freaking hard to forget," he stressed with gritted teeth. "And I know its destroying what I might have with Kali, and then I see Trance, that Trance, not my Trance, and I know that she's caused this, she did this to me."

"Do you love Kalika?"

"I don't know, and I have no idea what I truly feel because I thought I was in love with Marika and then discover those thoughts might not be my own," Harper sniffed, as he held back the tears that threatened.

"Harper," Beka held him closer, she had known he was being distant with them all but had never suspected such turmoil inside him. "Why didn't you come and talk to me, why did you keep this all inside?"

"Been playing nice, so you wouldn't think I wasn't happy here," Harper admitted, burying his head in her shoulder.

"For the smartest person I know, you're pretty dumb sometimes," Beka offered, as she comforted him. "For reasons I have no idea why, Kalika doesn't want to leave you, she's all living all breathing and right here, so why don't you just go and see her, and tell her what you feel."

"What do I feel?"

"Imagine you wake up tomorrow and Kalika is gone, you'll never see her again," Beka prompted and suddenly Harper sat upright.

"Crap, what the hell am I doing?" Harper stressed. "Thanks Beka, thanks, I owe you," he quickly moved to go in search of Kalika, but he stopped suddenly and returned to Beka's side. "I don't know if I said this before but Beka, I'm really sorry I was so crap to you on Seefra."

Beka was caught by the random apology but went with it. "And I'm sorry too, for all I said and did," Beka smiled calmly. "No looking back, only forward, ok? You're back on the Maru where you belong, and now you're fit and well again, with that stupid illness having finally left your system, we can finally start looking for that bit of luck that's way over due," Beka stated.

"I think I may have already found my share," Harper spoke with a distant gaze. "I need to speak to Kali, like right now, before I make another dumb ass mistake in my life," he stressed eagerly but then just looked at Beka. "I do know one thing though, and that's that I don't deserve a friend like you, Beka," Harper stressed and kissed Beka lightly on the forehead before finally leaving in search of Kalika.

Beka sat dumbfounded for a moment before a smirk appeared. "We're just as bad as each other, Seamus, I don't know what I ever did to get a great friend like you," Beka spoke to herself, and then looked up to see Trance stood by the hatchway. "Sorry kiddo," she motioned to Trance. "You have a lot more work to do if you ever hope to win his trust again, and I'm speaking from experience, a lot of experience," Beka stated getting up, and she moved past Trance to return to her piloting duties, she then stopped and turned to the younger alien. "Do you still see the future?"

Trance nodded her head and then shrugged. "Bits and pieces."

"How're we looking?" Beka prompted.

Trance offered a brief smile. "We're looking good, Beka."

"Harper?" Beka pushed.

Trance looked to one side and then smiled again. "That would be telling," she teased and then partially bounced down the hall, leaving Beka to just stare and for the first time be genuinely reminded of an old long lost purple friend with a tail she had once known.

"Rhade's wrong, it's not Harper that's going to be the death of me, it's the whole damn crew," she frowned and then smiled. "Wouldn't have it any other way," she decided, until the ship suddenly shirked to the side a little.

"I'm on it, boss!" Harper wailed over the ship wide coms.

"Except maybe I do miss the firing capabilities of the Andromeda a tiny bit," Beka grouched, as she hurried to the pilots chair to check their progress.

THE END


End file.
